Uvular lateral ejective affricate

The uvular lateral ejective affricate is a rare type of consonantal sound, used allophonically in some spoken languages.

Uvular lateral ejective affricate
q𝼄̠ʼ
qʟ̠̊˔ʼ

Features edit

Features of the uvular lateral ejective 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 uvular, which means it is articulated with the back of the tongue (the dorsum) at the uvula.
  • Its phonation is voiceless, which means it is produced without vibrations of the vocal cords.
  • 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 airstream mechanism is ejective (glottalic egressive), which means the air is forced out by pumping the glottis upward.

Occurrence edit

Language Word IPA Meaning Notes
ǂʼAmkoe[1] [example needed] In free variation with the uvular ejective affricate /qχʼ/.
Gǀui[1] [example needed] In free variation with the uvular ejective stop /qʼ/.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Gerlach, Linda, 2012. "Two speakers, two systems: phonetic or phonological variation in ǂHoan", Beiträge Sommersemester 2012, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.