Approximant consonant
- Plosives
- Nasal
- Vibrants
- Taps / Flaps
- Fricatives
- Affricates
- Approximants
- Lateral
- Ejectives
- Ingressive sounds Clicks ( clicking sounds )
- Implosives
An approximant (Latin approximare, " approaching ", dt also approximate sound) is a sound in which the exhaled air can flow relatively smoothly and freely through the mouth. The approximants are the vowels and consonants that are formed with pulmonisch - egressiver or pharyngeal air and ( extension tube ) must overcome no clasp or a narrowness with " friction " ( noise, air turbulence ) in the vocal tract.
Approximants can be phonologically divided into subclasses:
- Vowel approximant ( vowels ), for example, A or I
- Consonantal approximants Semi-vowels (also semi- vowel, Halbkonsonant, sonant or glide called ), for example, in German or in English w j
- Lateral approximants, such as the German l
Approximants can be further classified by:
- Aspiration
- Glottalisierung
- Nasalization
For a further description of the approximants to designate secondary articulation features:
- Palatalization
- Velarization
- Pharyngealization