Japanese Voiced and Voiceless Consonants353

In the Japanese language, consonants are divided into two main categories: voiced and voiceless. Voiced consonants are produced with the vocal cords vibrating, while voiceless consonants are produced with the vocal cords not vibrating.

There are five pairs of voiced and voiceless consonants in Japanese: /b/-/p/, /d/-/t/, /g/-/k/, /z/-/s/, and /j/-/sh/. The following table shows the IPA symbols for each pair of consonants, along with their English equivalents:| Voiced | Voiceless | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| /b/ | /p/ | b, p |
| /d/ | /t/ | d, t |
| /g/ | /k/ | g, k |
| /z/ | /s/ | z, s |
| /j/ | /sh/ | j, sh |

The voicing distinction is an important part of Japanese phonology. It can affect the meaning of words, as well as the way they are pronounced. For example, the voiced consonant /b/ is used in the word "ba" (horse), while the voiceless consonant /p/ is used in the word "pa" (leaf). The voiced consonant /z/ is used in the word "za" (sit), while the voiceless consonant /s/ is used in the word "sa" (sand).

In addition to the five pairs of voiced and voiceless consonants, there are also two other consonants that can be either voiced or voiceless: /n/ and /m/. The voicing of these consonants is determined by the surrounding sounds.

Rules for Voicing

There are a number of rules that govern the voicing of consonants in Japanese. These rules are as follows:
Voiced consonants are always voiced when they are followed by a voiced vowel.
Voiceless consonants are always voiceless when they are followed by a voiceless vowel.
Voiced consonants are devoiced when they are followed by a voiceless consonant.
Voiceless consonants are voiced when they are followed by a voiced consonant.

These rules can be illustrated with the following examples:* The consonant /b/ is voiced in the word "ba" (horse) because it is followed by a voiced vowel (/a/).
* The consonant /p/ is voiceless in the word "pa" (leaf) because it is followed by a voiceless vowel (/a/).
* The consonant /d/ is devoiced in the word "ta" (rice paddy) because it is followed by a voiceless consonant (/t/).
* The consonant /s/ is voiced in the word "za" (sit) because it is followed by a voiced consonant (/z/).

Exceptions to the Rules

There are a few exceptions to the rules for voicing in Japanese. These exceptions are as follows:* The consonant /n/ is always voiced, even when it is followed by a voiceless consonant.
* The consonant /m/ is always voiced, even when it is followed by a voiceless consonant.
* The consonant /h/ is always voiceless, even when it is followed by a voiced consonant.

These exceptions can be illustrated with the following examples:* The consonant /n/ is voiced in the word "nt" (and) even though it is followed by a voiceless consonant (/t/).
* The consonant /m/ is voiced in the word "mb" (unit) even though it is followed by a voiceless consonant (/b/).
* The consonant /h/ is voiceless in the word "ha" (tooth) even though it is followed by a voiced vowel (/a/).

2025-02-21

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