Obstruent – Fresh

Air is blocked completely and then released (e.g., /p, b, t, d, k, g/).

They are marked by the presence of noise or silence during the constriction phase.

To understand what an obstruent is, it helps to see what it is . In linguistic terms, they are formally marked as [-sonorant] . Obstruents Airflow Restricted or blocked Relatively free Sound Quality Noisy, turbulent Resonant, musical Voicing Often voiceless Prototypically voiced Examples /p, f, tʃ/ /m, l, w, vowels/ obstruent

In phonetics, obstruents are divided into three main "flavors" based on how the air is managed:

Obstruents frequently occur in pairs—one voiced (vocal folds vibrate) and one voiceless (no vibration)—such as /s/ vs. /z/ or /t/ vs. /d/. Air is blocked completely and then released (e

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

Air is forced through a narrow passage, creating friction (e.g., /f, v, s, z, ʃ, h/). In linguistic terms, they are formally marked as [-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