consonant (n.) (C)

One of the two general CATEGORIES used for the classification of speech sounds, the other being VOWEL. Consonants can be defined in terms of both PHONETICS and PHONOLOGY. Phonetically, they are sounds made by a CLOSURE or narrowing in the VOCAL TRACT so that the airflow is either completely blocked, or so restricted that audible FRICTION is produced. Consonant ARTICULATIONS are relatively easy to feel, and as a result are most conveniently described in terms of PLACE and MANNER of articulation. In addition, a routine phonetic description of consonants would involve information about the mode of vibration of the VOCAL FOLDS, and it is often necessary to specify the DURATION of the sound, the AIRSTREAM MECHANISM involved and the direction of airflow (EGRESSIVE or INGRESSIVE). From a phonological point of view, consonants are those UNITS which function at the MARGINS of SYLLABLES, either singly or in CLUSTERS.

Usually, phonetic and phonological criteria coincide: [f], for example, is a consonant in that there is audible friction and the sound occurs marginally, as in fat, leaf. In sounds such as [l], [r], [w] and [j], however, there is a conflict between the two criteria. Phonologically, these sounds are consonants, because their role in syllables is the same as that taken by [f], [p], etc., e.g. lip, rip, wet, yet. But, phonetically, they lack the friction required by the above definitions: they are vowel-like in character. Such sounds as a result are often called ‘semi-vowels’ or semi-consonants.

The trouble arises from having only one term to do two jobs (phonetic and phonological descriptions). Several terminological solutions have been suggested, the most well-known one being the suggestion of the American linguist K. L. Pike (1912–2001) to reserve the term ‘consonant’ for the phonological level of analysis, and to introduce CONTOID for the phonetic level (as opposed to VOCOID). In this way, [p] would be consonant and contoid, and [l], etc., consonant and vocoid.