Obstruent May 2026

They produce a significant increase in air pressure inside the mouth compared to the surrounding air. Obstruent vs. Sonorant

💡 If a sound feels like it "squeezes" the air (like "ssss") it’s an obstruent; if it feels smooth (like "mmmm"), it’s a sonorant. Advanced Phonological Features obstruent

In phonetics, obstruents are divided into three main "flavors" based on how the air is managed: They produce a significant increase in air pressure