A central consonant, also known as a median consonant,[1] is a consonant sound that is produced when air flows across the center of the mouth over the tongue. The class contrasts with lateral consonants, in which air flows over the sides of the tongue rather than down its center.
Examples of central consonants are the voiced alveolar fricative (the "z" in the English word "zoo") and the palatal approximant (the "y" in the English word "yes"). Others are the central fricatives [θ ð s z ʃ ʒ ʂ ʐ ɕ ʑ ç ʝ x ɣ χ ʁ], the central approximants [ɹ ɻ j ɥ ɰ w ʍ], the trills [r ʀ], and the central flaps [ɾ ɽ].
The term is most relevant for approximants and fricatives (for which there are contrasting lateral and central consonants - e.g. [l] versus [ɹ] and [ɮ] versus [z]). Stops that have "lateral release" can be written in the International Phonetic Alphabet using a superscript symbol, e.g. [tˡ], or can be implied by a following lateral consonant, e.g. [tɬ]. The labial fricatives [f v] often—perhaps usually—have lateral airflow, as occlusion between the teeth and lips blocks the airflow in the center, but nonetheless they are not considered lateral consonants because no language makes a distinction between the two.
In some languages, the centrality of a phoneme may be indeterminate. In Japanese, for example, there is a liquid phoneme /r/, which may be either central or lateral, resulting in /ro/ produced as either [ɾo] or [lo].
central, consonant, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, august, 2018, learn, when, remove, this, template, message. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message A central consonant also known as a median consonant 1 is a consonant sound that is produced when air flows across the center of the mouth over the tongue The class contrasts with lateral consonants in which air flows over the sides of the tongue rather than down its center Palatograms of central t and lateral l Examples of central consonants are the voiced alveolar fricative the z in the English word zoo and the palatal approximant the y in the English word yes Others are the central fricatives 8 d s z ʃ ʒ ʂ ʐ ɕ ʑ c ʝ x ɣ x ʁ the central approximants ɹ ɻ j ɥ ɰ w ʍ the trills r ʀ and the central flaps ɾ ɽ The term is most relevant for approximants and fricatives for which there are contrasting lateral and central consonants e g l versus ɹ and ɮ versus z Stops that have lateral release can be written in the International Phonetic Alphabet using a superscript symbol e g tˡ or can be implied by a following lateral consonant e g tɬ The labial fricatives f v often perhaps usually have lateral airflow as occlusion between the teeth and lips blocks the airflow in the center but nonetheless they are not considered lateral consonants because no language makes a distinction between the two In some languages the centrality of a phoneme may be indeterminate In Japanese for example there is a liquid phoneme r which may be either central or lateral resulting in ro produced as either ɾo or lo See also EditManner of articulation List of phonetics topicsReferences Edit Pullum Geoffrey K Ladusaw William A 1996 Phonetic Symbol Guide University of Chicago Press p xxxiv ISBN 0 226 68536 5 Ladefoged Peter Maddieson Ian 1996 The Sounds of the World s Languages Oxford Blackwell ISBN 978 0 631 19815 4 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Central consonant amp oldid 1148152820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
