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Glite Dictionary
postalveolar consonant

postalveolar consonant

9.2
A consonant made with the tongue near the ridge just behind the teeth
  • noun
  • /ˌpoʊstælˈviːələr ˈkɒnsənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : consonante postalveolar
  • The English 'sh' in 'ship' is a common postalveolar consonant.

Examples

  • The sound /ʃ/ is a postalveolar consonant.

  • Can you identify the postalveolar consonants in this word?

  • Many languages have both alveolar and postalveolar consonants in their sound inventories.

  • The distinction between sibilant and non-sibilant postalveolar consonants is important in phonetics.

  • The English 'sh' in 'ship' is a common postalveolar consonant.

  • Many languages have both alveolar and postalveolar consonants in their sound inventories.

  • The distinction between sibilant and non-sibilant postalveolar consonants is important in phonetics.

Synonyms

post-alveolar consonant
vspostalveolar consonant
  • Specialized
8.6

A consonant sound made with the tongue just behind the top front teeth, like the 'sh' in shoe

adds placement just behind the upper front teeth
postalveolar
vspostalveolar consonant
  • Specialized
9.9

A sound made with the tongue near the part of the mouth just behind the top front teeth

refers specifically to a consonant sound rather than any speech sound
post-alveolar
vspostalveolar consonant
  • Specialized
9.5

A speech sound made with the tongue just behind the upper front teeth, like the sh in 'shoe'

refers specifically to a consonant articulated at that ridge
palatoalveolar
vspostalveolar consonant
  • Specialized
9.8

A consonant sound made with the tongue near the top of the mouth, like the 'sh' in 'shoe'

focuses on the alveolar ridge just behind the teeth not the hard palate

Surface Forms

postalveolar consonant singular
postalveolar consonants plural

Morphology

postalveolar + consonant

The phrase is fully compositional: 'postalveolar' specifies a place of articulation (just behind the alveolar ridge) and 'consonant' names a class of speech sounds, so a learner who knows both words can infer it means a consonant produced near the alveolar ridge. Although technical, the location + sound pattern is transparent and parallels similar compound terminology in other languages, making the meaning derivable.

Etymology

Postalveolar consonant comes from a simple place image: post- means 'behind' and alveolar is the ridge just behind your teeth. So a postalveolar consonant is a 'consonant' sound made with the tongue near that ridge, for example the English 'sh' in 'ship', and the name helps you remember how the sound is made.