Pharyngeal consonant

Faryngal consonant

Pharyngeal consonants are a type of consonant articulated by constricting or narrowing the pharynx through the movement of the tongue root, epiglottis, or the pharyngeal walls. These sounds are relatively uncommon in the world's languages and are found in only a few language families, such as Semitic, Caucasian, and some Berber languages.

Characteristics

Pharyngeal consonants involve the retraction of the root of the tongue to narrow the pharyngeal cavity, which modifies the airflow and produces distinctive sounds. They are typically categorized into two types: pharyngeal fricatives and pharyngeal approximants. The fricatives are produced with a turbulent airflow, while the approximants have a smoother airflow. In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the symbols for pharyngeal consonants are ⟨ʕ⟩ for the voiced pharyngeal fricative and ⟨ħ⟩ for the voiceless pharyngeal fricative.

Articulation

The articulation of pharyngeal consonants is unique and requires specific anatomical movements. The back of the tongue approaches or contacts the pharyngeal wall, and depending on the degree of constriction and voicing, different sounds are produced. The epiglottis also plays a role in articulating some variants of these sounds.

Occurrence

Pharyngeal consonants are not widespread but have a significant presence in certain language families. In the Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, these sounds are integral to the phonetic inventory. In the Caucasian languages, particularly languages like Chechen and Ingush, pharyngeal sounds are also present. Additionally, some Berber languages utilize pharyngeal consonants.

Phonetic Features

Pharyngeal consonants are characterized by their distinct place of articulation. They differ from glottal consonants, which are produced at the glottis, and uvular consonants, which are articulated with the back of the tongue against or near the uvula. The specific phonetic features of pharyngeal consonants include their manner of articulation (fricative or approximant) and their voicing (voiced or voiceless).

In Phonology

The presence of pharyngeal consonants in a language's phonological inventory can influence the phonetic and phonological structure of the language. For example, in languages with pharyngeal consonants, there may be phonological processes such as emphasis spreading, where the pharyngealization or retraction quality of these consonants affects adjacent sounds.

See Also

• Consonant
• Place of articulation
• Manner of articulation
• International Phonetic Alphabet
• Semitic languages
• Caucasian languages
• Berber languages