Retroflex ejective stop

Retroflex ejective stop is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. It is characterized by a retroflex articulation, meaning the tongue is curled back towards the palate, and an ejective release, which is a type of glottalic egressive airstream mechanism. This sound does not occur in English, but it is found in various languages around the world, including certain Caucasian languages and languages of Africa. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol for this sound is ⟨ʈʼ⟩.

Articulation

The articulation of the retroflex ejective stop involves two main components: the retroflex positioning of the tongue and the ejective mechanism. Retroflex consonants are articulated with the tip of the tongue curled back towards the alveolar ridge. For the ejective component, the glottis is closed, and the air is expelled by raising the glottis upward, creating a sharp, popping sound. This contrasts with pulmonic egressive sounds, where the air is expelled from the lungs.

Occurrence

The retroflex ejective stop is relatively rare globally but can be found in languages such as Toda, spoken in India, and in some Caucasian languages, including certain dialects of Kabardian. It is also present in some Ethiopian Semitic languages, where it contrasts with other ejective stops.

Features

The defining features of the retroflex ejective stop include:

• Its manner of articulation is stop, meaning it is produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract.
• Its place of articulation is retroflex, which involves curling the tongue back towards the palate.
• Its phonation is voiceless, meaning the vocal cords do not vibrate during the articulation of the sound.
• It is an oral consonant, which means 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 rather than using the lungs.

In Phonology

In the phonological systems of languages that include the retroflex ejective stop, it often contrasts with other types of stops, such as bilabial stops, dental stops, and velar stops, including their ejective counterparts. The presence of this sound can significantly influence the phonetic landscape of a language, contributing to its phonological complexity and distinctiveness.

See Also

• Ejective consonant
• Retroflex consonant
• Stop consonant
• International Phonetic Alphabet