Voiceless alveolar implosive

Voiceless alveolar implosive
ɗ̥
ƭ
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The voiceless alveolar implosive is a rare sound used in some spoken languages. Its symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet is ⟨ɗ̥ ⟩, ⟨ƭ⟩, or ⟨tʼ↓⟩. It is not in English.

Characteristics

  • The phonation is voiceless. This means that this sound is produced without vibrations of the vocal cords. In some languages the vocal cords are actively separated, so it is always voiceless; in others the cords are lax, so that it may take on the voicing of adjacent sounds.
  • The place of articulation (where the sound is produced) is alveolar. This means that this sound is produced with the tip of the tongue (apical) or the blade of the tongue at the alveolar ridge (laminal).
  • The airstream mechanism is implosive (also called glottalic ingressive). This means that this sound is produced by pushing the glottis downward. This pulls air inward. The glottis is not completely closed, but a pulmonic airstream is allowed to escape through it, which makes the sound.

Examples

Language Example IPA Meaning Notes
Mam[1] tʼutʼan [ɗ̥ɯɗ̥aŋ] 'finish' Goes between [ɗ̥] and [tʼ].[2]
Serer[3] Can vary and be any of these sounds (phonemic contrasts): /ɓ̥, ɗ̥, ʄ̊, ɓ, ɗ, ʄ/.
Igbo Owere Can vary and be any of these sounds: /tʰ t ɗ̥ dʱ d ɗ n/.

References

  1. ↑ England, Nora C. (1983). A grammar of Mam, a Mayan language. Austin: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292729278. OCLC 748935484.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Mc Laughlin (2005:203)

Works cited

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