Alveolar ejective fricative

Alveolar ejective fricative is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. This sound is characterized by its mode of articulation, which is fricative, meaning it is produced by constricting air flow through a narrow channel at the place of articulation, causing turbulence. The alveolar ejective fricative is further defined by its place of articulation, the alveolar ridge, which is located just behind the teeth, and its ejective manner of articulation, which involves the glottis pushing air outwards. This sound does not have a symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) specifically dedicated to it, but it can be represented by the symbols [sʼ] or [zʼ], depending on whether it is voiceless or voiced, respectively.

Articulation

The articulation of the alveolar ejective fricative involves several anatomical components:

• Place of Articulation: The tip or blade of the tongue is raised close to the alveolar ridge.
• Manner of Articulation: This sound is a fricative, meaning air is forced through a narrow channel formed by the place of articulation, creating a turbulent airflow.
• Ejective Mechanism: The ejective aspect comes from the glottal closure that accompanies the articulation. The glottis is closed, and the air is pushed outwards by the upward movement of the closed glottis, not by the lungs.

Characteristics

• Voicing: This sound can be voiceless, noted as [sʼ], where the vocal cords do not vibrate, or voiced, noted as [zʼ], where the vocal cords do vibrate.
• Oral Sound: Since the air is expelled through the mouth, this is considered an oral sound.
• Central Sound: The air is directed over the center of the tongue, rather than the sides.

Occurrence

The alveolar ejective fricative is rare among the world's languages and is typically found in languages with complex ejective consonant systems. It is more commonly observed in the Caucasian languages, some African languages, and in certain Native American languages. The presence of this sound often contributes to the phonetic richness of a language's consonant inventory.

See Also

• Ejective consonant
• Fricative consonant
• Alveolar consonant
• International Phonetic Alphabet