Laryngeal consonants (a term often used interchangeably withguttural consonants) are consonants with their primaryarticulation in the general region of thelarynx. The laryngeal consonants comprise thepharyngeal consonants (including the epiglottals), theglottal consonants,[1][2] and for some languagesuvular consonants.[3]
The termlaryngeal is often taken to be synonymous withglottal, but thelarynx consists of more than just theglottis (vocal folds): it also includes theepiglottis andaryepiglottic folds. In a broad sense, therefore, laryngeal articulations include theradical consonants, which involve the root of the tongue. The diversity of sounds produced in the larynx is the subject of ongoing research, and the terminology is evolving.
The termlaryngeal consonant is also used forlaryngealized consonants articulated in the upper vocal tract, such asArabic'emphatics' andKorean'tense' consonants.
