Stop-consonant

A stop-consonant, also known as a plosive, is a consonant sound produced by completely blocking the airflow in the vocal tract, building up pressure, and then releasing it abruptly. This blockage and release occur in the oral cavity and involve the tongue, lips, or glottis. The result is a characteristic burst of sound. Stop-consonants are crucial for differentiating words and conveying meaning in spoken language, with variations in voicing (voiced vs. voiceless) further adding to their phonetic impact. The precise articulation point within the mouth determines the specific stop-consonant produced.

Stop-consonant meaning with examples

• The word 'pat' begins with a voiceless bilabial stop-consonant /p/, formed by pressing the lips together. Its explosive release is immediately followed by a vowel. Similarly, 'tap', 'lap', and 'cap' also start or end with a voiceless bilabial stop. Lastly, 'apple' has a stop after the /p/ sound. This contrasts with sounds like /f/, where airflow is never fully blocked.
• Consider the minimal pair 'bat' and 'pat'. The only difference is the voicing of the initial stop-consonant; 'b' is voiced while 'p' is voiceless. This voicing distinction significantly alters the meaning. Likewise, the final sound differentiates the word 'lap' from 'lab'. This emphasizes the crucial role of stop-consonants in distinguishing phonemes within a language.
• When pronouncing the word 'cat', the velar stop-consonant /k/ is produced at the back of the mouth, involving the back of the tongue and the soft palate. The pressure built behind this closure quickly releases into the vowel sound. Similar articulation occurs in words such as 'kick', 'back', and 'wreck'. A brief but complete occlusion is essential to the production of stop-consonants.
• A glottal stop, often represented as /ʔ/, is also a type of stop-consonant, formed by briefly closing the vocal cords. It's often heard in the middle of the word 'uh-oh', or in some dialects of English as a replacement for /t/ in 'bottle'. Other examples might include 'button' or 'kitten', where the /t/ sound gets glottalized. The glottal stop creates a unique sound effect.
• The voiceless alveolar stop-consonant /t/ is featured in many English words. In words like 'top', 'hot', and 'bet' a small pocket of air bursts out due to the sudden release. The location of where the tongue makes contact with the alveolar ridge is the key production point, with the voiced equivalent being /d/. A pause is sometimes observed with the /t/ sound.