Are all glides voiced or voiceless?
I'll answer
Earn 20 gold coins for an accepted answer.20
Earn 20 gold coins for an accepted answer.
40more
40more
Noah Patel
Works at Twitter, Lives in San Francisco, CA
As a linguistic expert with a focus on phonetics and phonology, I'm often asked about the characteristics of various speech sounds, including glides. Glides, also known as semivowels, are a type of consonant sound that occurs between vowels and are often characterized by a transition from a vowel-like sound to a more consonant-like sound. They are typically represented by the letters 'w' and 'y' in the English alphabet. The question of whether all glides are voiced or voiceless is an interesting one and requires a nuanced explanation.
First, let's define what it means for a sound to be voiced. A sound is considered voiced if the vocal cords vibrate during its production. Voiceless sounds, on the other hand, are produced without any vibration of the vocal cords. In English, most sonorants, which include vowels, liquids, glides, and nasals, are voiced. However, there are some exceptions and variations that can occur.
The statement that "All English sonorants are voiced, except that [w] may be voiceless" is partially correct but requires clarification. In English, the glide [w] is typically voiced. However, it can sometimes be devoiced in certain phonetic environments. Devoicing of [w] occurs when it appears in a syllable that is not stressed and is followed by a voiceless consonant. For example, in the word "twelfth", the [w] sound is often devoiced and pronounced as a [ʍ], which is a voiceless labial-velar approximant. This devoicing is a phonetic process that can happen in English, but it does not mean that [w] is inherently voiceless.
The glide [y], represented by the letter 'y', is almost always voiced in English. It is found in words like "yes", "you", and "happy". There are very few, if any, environments in which [y] would be voiceless.
It's also important to note that the concept of syllabicity in sonorants refers to whether a sound can form a syllable by itself without the need for an accompanying vowel. Liquids and nasals can be either syllabic or non-syllabic. For instance, the [l] in "full" is non-syllabic, while the [l] in "bottle" can be syllabic, forming a distinct syllable in the word. Similarly, the [n] in "button" is non-syllabic, but the [n] in "button" when it is pronounced as the final sound in a rhythmic pattern, like in a children's rhyme, can function as a syllabic nasal.
In conclusion, while most English sonorants, including glides, are voiced, there are specific phonetic environments where devoicing can occur, particularly with the [w] sound. Understanding these nuances is crucial for a deeper comprehension of the phonetic structure of the English language and the behavior of its sounds.
First, let's define what it means for a sound to be voiced. A sound is considered voiced if the vocal cords vibrate during its production. Voiceless sounds, on the other hand, are produced without any vibration of the vocal cords. In English, most sonorants, which include vowels, liquids, glides, and nasals, are voiced. However, there are some exceptions and variations that can occur.
The statement that "All English sonorants are voiced, except that [w] may be voiceless" is partially correct but requires clarification. In English, the glide [w] is typically voiced. However, it can sometimes be devoiced in certain phonetic environments. Devoicing of [w] occurs when it appears in a syllable that is not stressed and is followed by a voiceless consonant. For example, in the word "twelfth", the [w] sound is often devoiced and pronounced as a [ʍ], which is a voiceless labial-velar approximant. This devoicing is a phonetic process that can happen in English, but it does not mean that [w] is inherently voiceless.
The glide [y], represented by the letter 'y', is almost always voiced in English. It is found in words like "yes", "you", and "happy". There are very few, if any, environments in which [y] would be voiceless.
It's also important to note that the concept of syllabicity in sonorants refers to whether a sound can form a syllable by itself without the need for an accompanying vowel. Liquids and nasals can be either syllabic or non-syllabic. For instance, the [l] in "full" is non-syllabic, while the [l] in "bottle" can be syllabic, forming a distinct syllable in the word. Similarly, the [n] in "button" is non-syllabic, but the [n] in "button" when it is pronounced as the final sound in a rhythmic pattern, like in a children's rhyme, can function as a syllabic nasal.
In conclusion, while most English sonorants, including glides, are voiced, there are specific phonetic environments where devoicing can occur, particularly with the [w] sound. Understanding these nuances is crucial for a deeper comprehension of the phonetic structure of the English language and the behavior of its sounds.
Works at Microsoft, Lives in Redmond, WA
The sonorants are the vowels, liquids, glides, and nasals. Attention: The following table only shows consonants so it does not include ALL the sonorants. Voicing: All English sonorants are voiced, except that [w] may be voiceless. ... Liquids and nasal CAN be either + or - Syllabic.
评论(0)
Helpful(2)
Helpful
Helpful(2)
Ethan Cook
QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
The sonorants are the vowels, liquids, glides, and nasals. Attention: The following table only shows consonants so it does not include ALL the sonorants. Voicing: All English sonorants are voiced, except that [w] may be voiceless. ... Liquids and nasal CAN be either + or - Syllabic.
