Voiceless bilabial implosive
Voiceless bilabial implosive is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. It is part of the phonetic category of implosive consonants, which are sounds produced by inhaling air rather than exhaling, as is the case with most other speech sounds. The voiceless bilabial implosive is characterized by its place of articulation, which is bilabial, meaning it is articulated with both lips, and its manner of articulation, which is implosive, indicating that it is produced by pulling air inward rather than pushing it outward. This sound does not have a symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) specifically dedicated to it, as it is relatively rare across languages.
Articulation[edit | edit source]
The articulation of the voiceless bilabial implosive involves a complex mechanism. First, the vocal cords are held apart to ensure that the sound is voiceless. Then, the speaker closes their lips and simultaneously lowers the larynx, creating a slight vacuum in the mouth. When the lips are released, the air rushes in to fill the vacuum, producing the characteristic sound of the implosion. This contrasts with the more common bilabial plosives, such as the sound of "p" in "spin," which are produced by expelling air from the lungs.
Occurrence[edit | edit source]
The voiceless bilabial implosive is rare among the world's languages. It is found in certain dialects of Sindhi, a language spoken in Pakistan and India, and in some languages of the Bantu family. Its rarity can be attributed to the complex articulatory process required for its production, which may not be as naturally evolved in human speech patterns as other, more straightforward sounds.
Features[edit | edit source]
The key features of the voiceless bilabial implosive can be summarized as follows:
- Its manner of articulation is implosive, meaning it is produced by sucking air into the mouth.
- Its place of articulation is bilabial, which means it is articulated with both lips.
- It is a consonant sound.
- It is voiceless, meaning the vocal cords do not vibrate during the articulation of the sound.
See also[edit | edit source]
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
