Voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive

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Voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive is a type of consonantal sound used in some spoken languages. This sound is not present in most languages and is considered to be quite rare. It is characterized by its place of articulation in the upper part of the pharynx, and it is produced without the vibration of the vocal cords, which makes it voiceless.

Articulation

The articulation of the voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive involves the constriction of the upper pharyngeal area. The pharynx is divided into three parts: the nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx. The upper-pharyngeal region refers to the area near the nasopharynx and oropharynx. To produce this sound, the articulator (which can be the back of the tongue or the pharyngeal wall) moves close to the pharyngeal wall, creating a complete blockage of airflow. The sound is produced when this blockage is released, which generates a plosive sound.

Characteristics

The voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive is characterized by several features:

• It is a plosive consonant, which means it is produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract.
• Being voiceless, it does not use the vibration of the vocal cords.
• Its place of articulation is the upper pharynx, which is uncommon among the world's languages.
• It lacks the presence in many languages, making it a point of interest for phonetics and linguistics researchers.

Occurrence

The voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive is extremely rare and is not known to occur as a phoneme in any major language. It may be found in certain dialects or smaller languages, often in specialized linguistic contexts or as allophones of other sounds. Due to its rarity, detailed information about its occurrence and use in specific languages is limited.

Phonetic Notation

In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), there is no specific symbol for the voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive. Phonetically similar sounds are often transcribed with symbols that are close in articulatory properties, but an exact symbol for this specific sound does not exist due to its rarity and the lack of necessity in most phonetic transcriptions.

See Also

• Phonetics
• Articulatory phonetics
• Plosive consonants
• Voiceless consonant

Conclusion

The voiceless upper-pharyngeal plosive is a fascinating sound for phoneticians and linguists due to its unique place of articulation and its rarity in languages. Its study can contribute to a deeper understanding of human phonetic capabilities and the diversity of sounds in languages around the world.