Distinctive Feature - Major Class Features

Major Class Features

Major class features: The features that represent the major classes of sounds.

  1. Syllabic segments may function as the nucleus of a syllable, while their counterparts, the segments, may not. Except in the case of syllabic consonants, designates all vowels while designates all consonants (including glides).
  2. Consonantal segments are produced with an audible constriction in the vocal tract, such as obstruents, nasals, liquids, and trills. Vowels, glides and laryngeal segments are not consonantal.
  3. Approximant segments include vowels, glides, and liquids while excluding nasals and obstruents.
  4. This feature describes the type of oral constriction that can occur in the vocal tract. designates the vowels and sonorant consonants (namely glides, liquids, and nasals), which are produced without the imbalance of air pressure in the vocal tract that might cause turbulence. alternatively describes the obstruents, articulated with a noticeable turbulence caused by an imbalance of air pressure in the vocal tract.

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