Voiced bilabial implosive

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IPA Unicode 0x0253

Voiced Bilabial Implosive is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) that represents this sound is ⟨ɓ⟩. The sound is made by inhaling air, rather than exhaling as in most sounds, which is why it is described as an implosive. The 'voiced' aspect refers to the vibration of the vocal cords during the production of the sound. It is categorized as a bilabial sound, which means it is produced with both lips.

Articulation

The voiced bilabial implosive is articulated with the following steps:

1. The articulator (in this case, the lips) closes the oral cavity completely.
2. The glottis is closed, and the diaphragm is raised to create a slight negative pressure within the oral cavity.
3. The glottis then opens, allowing air to rush into the oral cavity from the lungs, causing the vocal cords to vibrate.
4. The lips are then opened to release the sound.

This process distinguishes implosives from plosives, which are produced by building up air pressure in the oral cavity and then releasing it.

Characteristics

• Voicing: This sound is voiced, meaning the vocal cords vibrate during its production.
• Place of Articulation: It is bilabial, which means it is articulated with both lips.
• Manner of Articulation: It is an implosive, which means it is produced by sucking air into the mouth rather than expelling it.

Occurrence

The voiced bilabial implosive is found in various languages around the world, including some languages of Africa and the Americas. For example, it is a phoneme in the Swahili language, where it is written as 'b'. However, its occurrence is not as widespread as that of the voiced bilabial plosive /b/.

Phonetic Notation

In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), the symbol for the voiced bilabial implosive is ⟨ɓ⟩. This symbol is distinct from that of the voiced bilabial plosive /b/, highlighting the different articulatory processes involved in producing these sounds.

See Also

• Implosive consonant
• Voiced dental implosive
• Voiced palatal implosive
• Voiced velar implosive
• Bilabial consonant
• Voicing (phonetics)