Approximants are a type of speech sound that is produced with the vocal tract approaching close proximity but not completely obstructing the airflow. They are distinct from plosives, which involve a complete blockage of airflow, and fricatives, where the airflow is partially blocked. In English, approximants are an important class of consonants that contribute significantly to the language's phonetic inventory. Here is a detailed look at the approximants in English:

1. Lateral Approximants: These are produced when the airflow is channeled around the sides of the tongue, while the tip of the tongue is raised to the alveolar ridge (the area just behind the upper front teeth). The most common lateral approximant in English is the sound represented by the letter 'l'. For instance, in the word "like," the 'l' sound is a lateral approximant.

2. Glottal Approximants: These are produced with the vocal folds coming close together without completely closing, allowing a small amount of air to pass through. An example of a glottal approximant is the sound represented by the letter 'h' in words like "hat" or "house." However, it's worth noting that some accents of English, such as Received Pronunciation (RP), use a glottal stop as an allophone of /t/, as in the word "butter" pronounced as "bu'er."

3. Nasal Approximants: These sounds are produced when the airflow is directed through the nasal cavity. The most common nasal approximants in English are the sounds represented by the letters 'm' and 'n'. For example, in the word "man," both 'm' and 'n' are nasal approximants.

4. Labial Approximants: These are produced with the lips coming close together without completely closing. The primary labial approximant in English is the sound represented by the letter 'w'. In the word "wet," the 'w' sound is a labial approximant.

5. Palatal Approximants: These are produced with the middle part of the tongue approaching the hard palate without completely touching it. The sound represented by the letter 'y' in the word "yes" is a palatal approximant. Another example is the 'y' sound in the word "you," which is sometimes transcribed as a palatal approximant.

6. Velar Approximants: These are produced with the back part of the tongue approaching the soft palate (velum). The sound represented by the letter 'r' in some accents of English, particularly non-rhotic accents like those found in many parts of the United States, can be considered a velar approximant. For example, in the word "right," the 'r' sound is a velar approximant in non-rhotic accents.
7.
Semivowels: These are sounds that are intermediate between vowels and consonants. The English language has two semivowels: the sound represented by the letter 'y' as in "yellow" and the sound represented by the letter 'w' as in "we." These sounds are sometimes transcribed as /j/ and /w/ respectively.
Approximants are crucial for the pronunciation and the rhythm of English speech. They are often used in syllable onsets and codas, contributing to the language's distinctive sound patterns. Understanding the role of approximants in English can help in learning and teaching the language, as well as in speech therapy and forensic linguistics.

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An approximant consonant is a consonant that sounds in some ways like a vowel. For example, lateral approximants like the sound for "l" in the English word "like", the sound for "r" in the English word "right", and semivowels like the sound for "y" in "yes" and the sound for "w" in "wet" are all approximants.read more >>