Velar lateral ejective affricate

The velar lateral ejective affricate is a rare type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨k𝼄ʼ⟩ (extIPA; strict IPA: ⟨kʟ̝̊ʼ⟩).

Velar lateral ejective affricate
k𝼄ʼ
kʟ̝̊ʼ

It is found in two forms in Archi, a Northeast Caucasian language of Dagestan, plain [k𝼄ʼ] and labialized [k𝼄ʷʼ]. It is further forward than velars in most languages, and might better be called prevelar. Archi also has voiceless (pulmonic) variants of its lateral affricates, several voiceless lateral fricatives, and a voiced lateral fricative at the same place of articulation, but no alveolar lateral fricatives or affricates.[1]

[k𝼄ʼ] is also found as an allophone of /kx/ (ejective after a nasal) in Zulu and Xhosa, and of the velar ejective affricate /kxʼ/ in Hadza. In the latter, it contrasts with palatal [c𝼆], as in [c𝼆ʼak𝼄ʼa] 'to cradle'. In fact, the velar ejective is reported to be lateral, or to have a lateral allophone, in various languages of Africa which have clicks, including Taa, various varieties of !Kung, Gǁana (including Gǀui dialect), Khwe (ǁAni dialect), and Khoekhoe.[2]

Features

Features of the velar 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 velar, which means it is articulated with the back of the tongue (the dorsum) at the soft palate.
  • 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
LanguageWordIPAMeaningNotes
Archi[3]кьан[k𝼄ʼan]'to love'Pre-velar.[3] Archi contrasts between plain and labialized versions.
Sandawetl’ungu[k𝼄ʼùŋɡȕ]'sky'Allophone of /tɬʼ/ before /u, w/
Zuluumklomelo[umk𝼄ʼɔˈmɛːlo]'prize'

See also

References
  1. "The Archi language tutorial" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  2. Hirosi Nakagawa, 1996. An Outline of Gǀui Phonology.
  3. Archi dictionary entry for /k͡𝼄ʼan/, including sound file
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