Voiceless velar lateral affricate

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Voiceless velar lateral affricate
k𝼄
kʟ̝̊
Audio sample
help

The voiceless velar lateral affricate is a relatively uncommon speech sound found as a phoneme in the

extIPA
: ⟨k͜𝼄⟩.

affricates.[1]

Zulu and Xhosa have a voiceless lateral affricate as an allophone of their voiceless velar affricate. Hadza has an ejective velar lateral affricate as an allophone of its velar ejective affricate. Indeed, in Hadza this [k͜𝼄ʼ] contrasts with a palatal lateral ejective affricate, [c͜𝼆ʼ]. ǁXegwi is reported to have contrasted velar /k͜𝼄/ from alveolar /t͜ɬ/.

Features

Features of the voiceless velar lateral affricate:

  • Its manner of articulation is affricate, which means it is produced by first stopping the airflow entirely, then allowing air flow through a constricted channel at the place of articulation, causing turbulence.
  • Its place of articulation is velar, which means it is articulated with the back of the tongue (the dorsum) at the soft palate.
  • Its phonation is voiceless, which means it 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.
  • It is an oral consonant, which means air is allowed to escape through the mouth only.
  • It is a lateral consonant, which means it is produced by directing the airstream over the sides of the tongue, rather than down the middle.
  • The
    intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles
    , as in most sounds.

Occurrence

Language Word IPA Meaning Notes
Archi[1] лӀон/ƛon [k͜𝼄on] 'a flock' Pre-velar.[1]
Bezhta [
example needed
]

References

  1. ^
    voiceless alveolar lateral fricative
    for the fricative part of this sound (k͡ɬ), but also indicates the sound to be prevelar.