A voiceless labial–palatal fricative is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound – more accurately called a voiceless labialized palatal fricativeFlorence Abena Dolphyne (1988) The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound Systems and Tonal Structure, p.44 – is , , or . An actual labial–palatal fricative would be written ,Patricia Ashby (2013) Speech Sounds. Routledge. 2nd edition, p. 82, 116 but such a doubly articulated sound is unlikely to occur in any language: Ladefoged and Maddieson were unable to confirm that any language has fricatives produced at two places of articulation, as the term "labial–palatal" implies, and doubt that they are possible in ordinary language.
Features
Occurrence Language Word IPA Meaning NotesAkan 'to pour'An allophone of before .Breton 'her kitchen'Described as a fricative, and as a realisation of the sequence .
Voiceless labial–palatal approximant
A voiceless labial–palatal approximant is similar to the fricative but has less turbulence. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents the approximant is . No known language contrasts the fricative and the approximant.
Occurrence Language Word IPA Meaning Notes Iaai Described as an approximant. Contrasts with the voiced . Not protruded.KhamGamale Kham'monkey'Described as an approximant. Contrasts with the voiced .
Notes
References