Similarity To Other Sounds
These sounds are similar to the alveolo-palatal sibilants and to the retroflex sibilants, all of which are postalveolar consonants. In palato-alveolars the front of the body of the tongue is domed, in that the front of the tongue moves partway towards the palate, giving the consonant a weakly palatalized sound. They differ from other postalveolars in the extent of palatalization, intermediate between the fully palatalized alveolo-palatas and the unpalatalized retroflexes.
It is generally only within sibilants that a palato-alveolar articulation is distinguished. In certain languages nasals or laterals may be said to be palato-alveolar, but it is unclear if such sounds can be consistently distinguished from alveolo-palatals and palatalized alveolars. Even in the case of sibilants, palato-alveolars are often described simply as "post-alveolars" or even as "palatals", since they do not contrast with these sounds in most languages.
Read more about this topic: Palato-alveolar Consonant
Famous quotes containing the words similarity and/or sounds:
“Incompatibility. In matrimony a similarity of tastes, particularly the taste for domination.”
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914)
“Bill: I have champagne, caviar, marinated truffles, brilliant foie gras and half-a-dozen assorted Hungarian gypsies.
Lili: Sounds delicious.
Bill: I thought we’d go on a picnic.
Lili: At three in the morning?
Bill: It’s the best time—no ants.”
—Blake Edwards (b. 1922)