Secondary articulation

In phonetics, secondary articulation occurs when the articulation of a consonant is equivalent to the combined articulations of two or three simpler consonants, at least one of which is an approximant. The secondary articulation of such co-articulated consonants is the approximant-like articulation. It "colors" the primary articulation rather than obscuring it. Maledo (2011) defines secondary articulation as the superimposition of lesser stricture upon a primary articulation. There are several kinds of secondary articulation supported by the International Phonetic Alphabet: Labialization is the most frequently encountered secondary articulation. For example, labialized kw has a primary velar plosive articulation, [k], with simultaneous [w]-like rounding of the lips, thus the name. It is in contrast to the doubly articulated labial-velar consonant k͡p, which is articulated with two overlapping plosive articulations, [k] and [p]. Palatalization is perhaps best known from the Russian "soft" consonants like [tj]), which has a primary alveolar plosive articulation, [t], with simultaneous [j]-like (i.e. y-like) raising of the body of the tongue. Labio-palatalization is simultaneous labialization and palatalization. It is found, for example, in the name Twi. [ɥ] Velarization is the raising of the back of the tongue toward the velum, as in the English "dark" L, [lɣ]. Pharyngealization is a constriction in the throat (pharynx) and is found in the Arabic "emphatic" consonants such as [sʕ]. Glottalization involves action of the glottis in addition to the primary articulation of the consonant. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish primary and secondary articulation. For example, the alveolo-palatal consonants [ɕ ʑ] are sometimes characterized as a distinct primary articulation and sometimes as palatalization of postalveolar fricatives, equivalent to [ʃj ʒj] or [s̠j z̠j]. The most common method of transcription in the IPA is to turn the letter corresponding to the secondary articulation into a superscript written after the letter for the primary articulation.