sharp (adj.)

One of the features of sound set up by Jakobson and Halle in their DISTINCTIVE FEATURE theory of PHONOLOGY, to help handle SECONDARY ARTICULATIONS – in this case, PALATALIZATION. ‘Sharp’ CONSONANTS are defined both ARTICULATORILY and ACOUSTICALLY as sounds produced with the TONGUE being raised towards the hard PALATE during their articulation, and with a relatively wide area behind the stricture; there is a consequent greater intensity of some of the higher frequencies of the sound spectrum. All palatalized consonants are [+sharp]. Its opposite term is PLAIN, which lacks these features, and thus corresponds to the whole range of non-palatalized sounds. The feature is not used in the Chomsky and Halle system.