Obstruent

An obstruent is a special kind of speech sound made when we block or change the flow of air while talking. Examples of obstruents include sounds like k, j (as in “jump”), and f. These sounds are created by putting something in the mouth—such as the tongue or lips—in a way that makes it harder for air to pass through easily.

Obstruents are different from sonorants, which are sounds that can resonate without blocking the air flow. While all obstruents are consonants, sonorants include vowels and some other consonants too. Understanding obstruents helps us learn how different sounds are made when we speak, which is important for studying languages and how people communicate.

Subclasses

Obstruents can be divided into three types.

The first type is called plosives, like the sounds [p] and [b]. These sounds are made by fully closing the airway and then quickly releasing it.

The second type is called fricatives, like the sounds [s] and [z]. These sounds are made by partly closing the airway, which makes the air flow become rough.

The third type is called affricates, like the sounds [t͡s] and [d͡z]. These sounds start like plosives with a full closure, but then turn into a fricative-like sound when released.

Voicing

Obstruents are usually sounds made without using the voice, but they can also be made with voice. This is different from sonorants, which are usually made with voice and only sometimes without voice.