Obstruent (Noun)
Meaning
A consonant that is produced with a partial or complete blockage of the airflow from the lungs through the nose or mouth.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The /k/ sound in "cat" is an example of an obstruent, as it is produced by blocking the airflow with the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
- In phonetics, obstruents are often contrasted with sonorants, which are sounds that are produced with relatively free airflow.
- The voiceless bilabial stop /p/ is a type of obstruent that is common in many languages, including English.
- The obstruent sounds in the word "splint" are the /s/ and /p/ sounds, which are both produced with a blockage of airflow.
- In some languages, such as Arabic, the uvular obstruent /q/ is a distinct phoneme that is used to distinguish between words.