| Uvularized | |
|---|---|
| ◌ʶ | |
| ◌ᵡ |
Uvularization oruvularisation is asecondary articulation ofconsonants orvowels by which the back of the tongue is constricted toward theuvula and upperpharynx during the articulation of a sound with its primary articulation elsewhere.
In theInternational Phonetic Alphabet, uvularization can be indicated by the symbol⟨ʶ⟩ (a superscriptvoiced uvular fricative (inverted small capital R)) after the letter standing for the consonant that is uvularized, as in[tʶ] (the uvularized equivalent of[t]). The symbol⟨ᵡ⟩ (a superscriptvoiceless uvular fricative) is sometimes used on voiceless consonants. This is specified inVoQS standards.
Uvularized consonants are often not distinguished frompharyngealized consonants, and they may be transcribed as if they were pharyngealized.
InArabic and several otherSemitic andBerber languages, uvularization is the defining characteristic of the series of "emphatic"coronal consonants.[1][2]
Uvularized consonants in standard Arabic are/sʶ/,/dʶ/,/tʶ/,/ðʶ/,/lʶ/. Regionally there is also/zʶ/ and/rʶ/. Other consonants, and vowels, may be phonetically uvularized.
InGreenlandic, long vowels are uvularized beforeuvular consonants,[3] andEnglish speakers retaining theNorthumbrian Burr are reported both to uvularize and to retract vowels before arhotic.[4]