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Voiced velar lateral approximant

Consonantal sound represented by ⟨ʟ⟩ in IPA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Voiced velar lateral approximant
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A voiced velar lateral approximant is a type of consonantal sound, used as a distinct consonant in a very small number[1] of spoken languages in the world. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that has represented this sound since 1989 is ʟ, a small capital letter l.

Quick facts ʟ, IPA number ...
Quick facts ʟ̆, Audio sample ...
Quick facts ʟ̠, IPA number ...

Velar laterals often involve a prestopped realization [ᶢʟ].[2]

According to Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996), the extremely short duration of /ʟ/ in intervocalic position (20–30 ms) in some of the languages in New Guinea, such as Kanite and Melpa, warrants calling it a voiced velar lateral tap. The IPA has no specific symbol for this sound, but it may be represented with a breve for extra-short, such as ʟ̆, to indicate a tapped consonant.

It is reported that some dialects of English may have a voiced uvular lateral approximant,[3] which can be represented in the IPA as ʟ̠ (a retracted ʟ), though evidence of this consonant is limited.

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Features

Features of a voiced velar lateral approximant:

A velar lateral [ʟ] involves no contact of the tip of the tongue with the roof of the mouth: just like for a velar stop [ɡ], the only contact takes place between the back of the tongue and the velum. This contrasts with a velarized alveolar lateral approximant [ɫ] – also known as the dark l in English feel [fiːɫ] – for which the apex touches the alveolar ridge.[4]

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Occurrence

Velar

More information Language, Word ...

Uvular

More information Language, Word ...
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See also

Notes

References

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