Every Arabic letter is made at one precise place in the mouth or throat. There are seventeen such places, grouped into five. Getting the place right is most of getting the letter right — and it is why some letters that look nothing alike sound almost identical.
Al-Jawf — the empty cavity
One point. The long vowels have no contact anywhere — the air simply flows through the open mouth and throat.
Al-Ḥalq — the throat
Three points, from the deepest part of the throat outward. Six letters.
Al-Lisān — the tongue
Ten points — more than the other four groups together. The tongue does most of the work in Arabic.
- 5The back of the tongue, soft palate أقصى اللسان مع الحنك اللينق
- 6The back of the tongue, hard palate أقصى اللسان مع الحنك الصلبك
- 7The middle of the tongue وسط اللسانجشي
- 8The edge of the tongue حافة اللسانض
- 9The tongue edge and gums أدنى حافة اللسانل
- 10The tongue tip, with the nose طرف اللسانن
- 11The tongue tip, tapped طرف اللسان مع ظهرهر
- 12The tongue tip and tooth roots طرف اللسان وأصول الثناياتدط
- 13The tongue tip and lower teeth الأصوات الصفيريةزسص
- 14The tongue tip between the teeth طرف اللسان وأطراف الثناياثذظ
Ash-Shafatān — the lips
Two points. One uses the lower lip against the teeth, the other both lips.
Al-Khayshūm — the nose
One point, and no letter of its own: it is the nasal hum inside mīm and nūn.