Question

Match the LIST-I with LIST-II. \[ \begin{array}{|l|l|} \hline {LIST I (Thup I)} & {LIST II (Thup II)} \\ \hline A. \ \text{Nia, khlia, ain} & I. \ \text{Palatal} \\ B. \ \text{Pah, bam, mar} & II. \ \text{Velar} \\ C. \ \text{Kah, skum, suk} & III. \ \text{Alveo-palatal} \\ D. \ \text{Shah, kshald, shish} & IV. \ \text{Bilabial} \\ \hline \end{array} \]

• (A) - I, (B) - III, (C) - IV, (D) - II
• (A) - III, (B) - II, (C) - I, (D) - IV
• (A) - III, (B) - I, (C) - II, (D) - IV
• (A) - I, (B) - IV, (C) - II, (D) - III

Hint:

In phonetics, always identify the articulation point — lips for bilabial, palate for palatal, and back of tongue for velar sounds.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the phonetic classification.
In linguistics, sounds are classified based on their place of articulation — the point in the mouth or throat where airflow restriction occurs.
This question matches Khasi consonants with their phonetic categories.
Step 2: Explanation of each sound group.
- (A) Nia, khlia, ain – Palatal: These sounds are produced with the tongue touching the hard palate, hence classified as palatal.
- (B) Pah, bam, mar – Bilabial: Both lips are used to produce these sounds, which is characteristic of bilabial consonants.
- (C) Kah, skum, suk – Velar: These are articulated at the soft part of the palate near the back of the mouth, making them velar.
- (D) Shah, kshald, shish – Alveo-palatal: The tongue touches the alveolar ridge and the palate simultaneously, forming alveo-palatal sounds.
Step 3: Phonetic accuracy.
Each match corresponds to how Khasi phonemes align with general phonetic principles in articulatory phonology.
Understanding these helps in pronunciation, spelling, and phonetic transcription.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, the correct answer is (A) - I, (B) - IV, (C) - II, (D) - III.