Uvular ejective stop

IPA Unicode 0x0071%2B0x02BC

Uvular ejective stop is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. It is characterized by a stop closure at the uvula followed by a rapid release of air that is generated from the glottis, without the use of the lungs. This sound is not present in most of the world's major languages, but it is found in some Caucasian languages, certain African languages, and in various indigenous languages of the Americas.

Articulation

The uvular ejective stop is articulated with the following primary features:

• Place of Articulation: The back of the tongue comes into contact with the uvula, which is located at the back of the oral cavity.
• Manner of Articulation: This is a stop consonant, which means that airflow is completely obstructed in the oral cavity. Following the stop, an ejective release occurs.
• Ejective Mechanism: The ejective sound is produced by closing the glottis and raising the larynx, which compresses the air caught above the closed glottis. When the oral closure is released, the compressed air produces a characteristic ejective sound.

Phonetic Notation

In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the uvular ejective stop is represented by the symbol ⟨q’⟩.

Occurrence

The uvular ejective stop is relatively rare globally. It is most notably found in:

• Certain Caucasian languages such as Ubykh and Abkhaz, where it plays a significant phonological role.
• Some African languages, including languages within the Afro-Asiatic family.
• Various indigenous languages of the Americas, including languages in the Na-Dené family and in South America.

Features

The key features of the uvular ejective stop include:

• Its occurrence at the uvula, which distinguishes it from other ejective stops.
• The ejective mechanism, which does not rely on lung air but rather on glottalic airstream mechanism.
• Its rarity and distribution, being found in a select group of languages with diverse geographical spread.

See Also

• Ejective consonant
• Uvular consonant
• Glottalic airstream mechanism
• Phonetic alphabet