2.1 Greek consonants are built around just three basic sounds:
- LABIALS, which are formed with the lips.
- DENTALS, which are formed with the tongue and teeth.
- PALATALS, which are formed with the tongue and palate.
Notice that in pronouncing these three consonants, the airflow or breathing passage must be momentarily closed. For this reason, these are sometimes called STOP consonants. The three consonants above are more specifically called UNVOICED STOPS, so called because these sounds are made without vibrating your vocal cords.
2.2 Pronouncing the same three sounds while vibrating your vocal cords produces three new consonants, called VOICED STOPS.
2.3 Add a breathing or “h” sound to the consonants, and you get a third and final set of STOP consonants, called ASPIRATED STOPS.
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