Obstruent May 2026

They are marked by the presence of noise or silence during the constriction phase.

In phonetics, obstruents are divided into three main "flavors" based on how the air is managed: obstruent

An obstruent is a speech sound produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract, resulting in a complete or partial blockage that creates noise or friction. Unlike sonorants (such as vowels, nasals, or liquids) which allow air to flow relatively freely, obstruents are defined by their "tight" or "hissy" acoustic properties. Categories of Obstruents They are marked by the presence of noise

Obstruent vs. Sonorant Consonants in Phonetics ... - Facebook Categories of Obstruents Obstruent vs

A combination that begins like a stop and releases into a fricative (e.g., /tʃ/ as in "church," /dʒ/ as in "judge"). Key Characteristics

Air is forced through a narrow passage, creating friction (e.g., /f, v, s, z, ʃ, h/).