Voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive

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Voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. This sound is part of the phonetic category of plosive consonants, which are sounds produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract. The voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive is characterized by its unique place of articulation, the upper pharynx, and its voicing.

Articulation

The articulation of the voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive involves the constriction of the pharyngeal cavity by moving the root of the tongue and the epiglottis closer together. This action obstructs the airflow, and when the obstruction is released, a plosive sound is produced. The voicing of this consonant means that the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.

Characteristics

• Place of Articulation: Upper pharyngeal. The constriction occurs in the upper part of the pharynx.
• Manner of Articulation: Plosive. This means the sound is produced by obstructing the airflow in the vocal tract.
• Voicing: Voiced. The vocal cords vibrate during the production of this sound.

Occurrence

The voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive is rare among the world's languages and might not have a widespread or well-documented presence. Languages that utilize pharyngeal or epiglottal sounds typically include various Afro-Asiatic languages, but the specific occurrence of a voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive would be more narrowly defined and less common.

Phonetic Notation

In phonetic notation, especially in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), specific symbols are used to represent sounds. However, the IPA does not have a distinct symbol for the voiced upper-pharyngeal plosive, partly due to its rarity and the challenges in distinguishing it from other pharyngeal or epiglottal sounds in practical phonetic work.

See Also

• Phonetics
• Plosive consonants
• Voiced consonant
• Pharyngeal consonant