The voiced labial–velar approximant is a type of
consonant
In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract, except for the h sound, which is pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract. Examples are and pronou ...
al sound, used in certain
spoken language
Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...
s, including English. It is the sound denoted by the letter in the English alphabet;
[; ''see'' the examples on the fifth page.] likewise, the symbol in the
International Phonetic Alphabet
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is an alphabetic system of phonetic notation based primarily on the Latin script. It was devised by the International Phonetic Association in the late 19th century as a standard written representation ...
that represents this sound is , or rarely , and the equivalent
X-SAMPA symbol is
w. In most languages it is the
semivocalic counterpart of the
close back rounded vowel
The close back rounded vowel, or high back rounded vowel, is a type of vowel sound used in many spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is , and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is u.
I ...
. In inventory charts of languages with other
labialized velar consonant
A labialized velar or labiovelar is a velar consonant that is labialized, with a -like secondary articulation. Examples are , which are pronounced like a , with rounded lips, such as the labialized voiceless velar plosive and labialized voic ...
s, will be placed in the same column as those consonants. When consonant charts have only labial and velar columns, may be placed in the velar column, labial column, or both. The placement may have more to do with phonological criteria than phonetic ones.
Some languages have a voiced labial–prevelar approximant, which is more fronted than the place of articulation of the prototypical voiced labialized velar approximant, though not as front as the prototypical
labialized palatal approximant.
Features
Features of the voiced labial–velar approximant:
The type of approximant is ''glide'' or ''semivowel''. The term ''glide'' emphasizes the characteristic of movement (or 'glide') of from the vowel position to a following vowel position. The term ''semivowel'' emphasizes that, although the sound is vocalic in nature, it is not 'syllabic' (it does not form the nucleus of a syllable).
Some languages, such as
Japanese and perhaps the Northern
Iroquoian languages
The Iroquoian languages () are a language family of indigenous peoples of North America. They are known for their general lack of labial consonants. The Iroquoian languages are polysynthetic and head-marking.
As of 2020, almost all surviving I ...
, have a sound typically transcribed as where the lips are
compressed (or at least not rounded), which is a true
labial–velar (as opposed to labialized velar) consonant. Close transcriptions may avoid the symbol in such cases, or may use the under-rounding diacritic, .
Occurrence
See also
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Voiceless labial–velar approximant
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Nasal labial–velar approximant
Notes
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Voiced labial-velar approximant
Labial–velar consonants
Voiced oral consonants
Central consonants
Pulmonic consonants