Obstruent May 2026

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

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 obstruent

Obstruents frequently occur in pairs—one voiced (vocal folds vibrate) and one voiceless (no vibration)—such as /s/ vs. /z/ or /t/ vs. /d/. In phonetics, obstruents are divided into three main

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

They produce a significant increase in air pressure inside the mouth compared to the surrounding air. Obstruent vs. Sonorant