| Pharyngealized | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ◌ˤ | |||
| IPA number | 423 | ||
| Encoding | |||
| Entity(decimal) | ˤ | ||
| Unicode(hex) | U+02E4 | ||
| X-SAMPA | _?\ | ||
| |||
| Velarized or pharyngealized | |
|---|---|
| ◌̴ | |
| IPA number | 428 |
| Encoding | |
| Entity(decimal) | ̴ |
| Unicode(hex) | U+0334 |
Pharyngealization is asecondary articulation ofconsonants orvowels by which thepharynx orepiglottis is constricted during the articulation of the sound.
In theInternational Phonetic Alphabet, pharyngealization can be indicated by one of two methods:
SinceUnicode 1.1, there have been two similar superscript characters: IPA ⟨ˤ⟩ (U+02E4 ˤMODIFIER LETTER SMALL REVERSED GLOTTAL STOP) and Semiticist ⟨ˁ⟩ (U+02C1 ˁMODIFIER LETTER REVERSED GLOTTAL STOP). U+02E4 is formally a superscript ⟨ʕ⟩ (U+0295 ʕLATIN LETTER PHARYNGEAL VOICED FRICATIVE, = reversed glottal stop), and in the Unicode charts looks like a simple superscript ⟨ʕ⟩, though in some fonts it looks like a superscript reversed lower-case letterglottal stop ⟨ɂ⟩. U+02C1 is a typographic alternative to⟨ʿ⟩ (U+02BF ʿMODIFIER LETTER LEFT HALF RING); which is used to transliterate the Semitic consonantayin and which = reversed⟨ʾ⟩, which itself transliterates the glottal Semitic consonantsaleph andhamza. In the Unicode charts U+02C1 looks like a reversed ⟨ˀ⟩ (U+02C0 ˀMODIFIER LETTER GLOTTAL STOP), which is used in the IPA forglottalization. There is no parallel Unicode distinction for modifier glottal stop. The IPA Handbook[1] lists U+02E4 as the Unicode equivalent of IPA Number 423, the dedicated IPA symbol for pharyngealization.
The superimposed tilde is assigned Unicode character U+0334. This was originally intended to combine with other letters to represent pharyngealization. However, that usage is now deprecated (though still functional), and several precomposed letters have been adopted to replace it. These are the labial consonants ⟨ᵱᵬᵮᵯ⟩ and thecoronal consonants ⟨ᵵᵭᵴᵶᵰᵲᵳɫ⟩.
| Character | ʕ | ˤ | ˁ | ʿ | ̴ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unicode name | Latin letter pharyngeal voiced fricative | modifier letter small reversed glottal stop | modifier letter reversed glottal stop | modifier letter left half ring | combining tilde overlay | |||||
| Character encoding | decimal | hex | decimal | hex | decimal | hex | decimal | hex | decimal | hex |
| 661 | 0295 | 740 | 02E4 | 705 | 02C1 | 703 | 02BF | 820 | 0334 | |
| Numeric character reference | ʕ | ʕ | ˤ | ˤ | ˁ | ˁ | ʿ | ʿ | ̴ | ̴ |
Ubykh, an extinctNorthwest Caucasian language spoken inRussia andTurkey, used pharyngealization in 14 pharyngealized consonants.Chilcotin has pharyngealized consonants that trigger pharyngealization of vowels. Many languages (such asSalishan,Sahaptian) in the Plateau culture area of North America also have pharyngealization processes that are triggered by pharyngeal or pharyngealized consonants, which affect vowels.
TheTuu/"Khoisan" languageTaa (or !Xóõ) has pharyngealized vowels that contrast phonemically with voiced, breathy and epiglottalized vowels.[2] That feature is represented in the orthography by a tilde under the respective pharyngealized vowel. InTuu languages, epiglottalized vowels are phonemic.
For many languages, pharyngealization is generally associated with more dental articulations of coronal consonants.Dark l tends to be dental or denti-alveolar, but clear l tends to be retracted to an alveolar position.[3]
Arabic andSyriac use secondaryuvularization, which is generally not distinguished from pharyngealization, for the "emphatic" coronal consonants.
(Uvularized consonants are not distinguished.)
