Voiced uvular implosive

IPA Unicode 0x029B

Voiced uvular implosive is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. It is part of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), denoted by the symbol ⟨ʛ⟩. This sound is not found in most languages and is relatively rare. It involves a complex mechanism of sound production that combines a voiced quality with an implosive articulation, occurring at the uvular place of articulation.

Articulation

The voiced uvular implosive is produced by first closing the vocal cords to create a voiced sound. Simultaneously, the back of the tongue approaches the uvula, creating a closure at the uvular region. Instead of ejecting the air outward as in most consonants, the air is inhaled rapidly into the mouth during the articulation of this sound, creating a sharp intake of breath. This inward airflow is what characterizes the sound as implosive.

Characteristics

• Voicing: Voiced
• Place of Articulation: Uvular
• Manner of Articulation: Implosive
• Oral or Nasal: Oral
• Central or Lateral: Central

Occurrence

The voiced uvular implosive is extremely rare among the world's languages. It may be found in certain dialects or in languages spoken in isolated regions, but it is not a widespread phoneme. The rarity of this sound can be attributed to the complex articulatory mechanism required for its production, which may not be as easily accessible or as functional for linguistic purposes in most languages.

See Also

• Implosive consonant
• Voiced consonant
• Uvular consonant
• International Phonetic Alphabet