Bilabial ejective stop

Bilabial ejective stop is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) that represents this sound is ⟨pʼ⟩. It is characterized by a bilabial closure, where both lips come together, followed by a simultaneous ejective release. Ejectives are glottalic egressive sounds, meaning they are produced by pushing air out of the mouth using the glottis rather than the lungs. This sound is not found in most English dialects but occurs in languages such as Georgian, certain Caucasian languages, and some African languages.

Articulation

The articulation of the bilabial ejective stop involves two major actions: a bilabial closure and an ejective release. Initially, the lips are brought together to block the airflow, creating a closure at the lips. This is the bilabial aspect of the sound. Simultaneously, the glottis is closed, and the air trapped between the glottis and the lips is compressed. When the lips are opened, the compressed air is released forcefully, producing the ejective quality of the sound. Unlike pulmonic egressive sounds, which use the lungs and diaphragm for airflow, ejectives use the glottis and body of the air above it for sound production.

Features

The bilabial ejective stop has several distinctive features:

• Its manner of articulation is stop, meaning that airflow is blocked completely for a brief period.
• Its place of articulation is bilabial, which involves both lips.
• Its phonation is voiceless, meaning the vocal cords do not vibrate during the articulation of the sound.
• It is an oral consonant, meaning air is allowed to escape through the mouth only.
• Because it is an ejective, the airstream mechanism is glottalic egressive, relying on moving the glottis upward to expel the air.

Occurrence

The bilabial ejective stop is found in various languages around the world, particularly in areas like the Caucasus, parts of Africa, and in some South American languages. Each language has its own set of phonological rules that determine the use and distribution of this sound.

See also

• Ejective consonant
• Bilabial consonant
• Stop consonant
• International Phonetic Alphabet