4.2 Stops

Stops

Stop sounds are produced with complete oral closure which is released quickly so as to end in an explosion or puff of air. If the release takes place slowly, the explosion ends in friction. This is regular for the Palatoalveolar sounds, but incidental for the Alveolar sounds. The stop sounds have regularly one voiced and one unvoiced variant, the first being strongly Fortis, the latter Lenis. Preceding sounds are therefore noticeably affected by following stops, lengthened when followed by Lenis stops, shortened when followed by Fortis stops. Learners must pay particular attention to this phenomenon.



P b