The images on this page shows the position of an Irish speaker's tongue when a labial consonant (p, b, f) is pronounced. These consonants are called "labial" because they are articulated by making a constriction using the lips. The stops or plosives /p, b/ are pronounced by completely closing the lips briefly, then re-opening them so that sound resumes. The fricative /f/ is pronounced by almost blocking off the flow of air by making contact between the upper teeth and lower lip, so that some air still passes through.
To listen to audio recordings or read about a dialect, click on the dialect-specific links below.
