sonorant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “sonorant” mean?
A speech sound produced with continuous, resonant airflow without turbulence or blockage.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A speech sound produced with continuous, resonant airflow without turbulence or blockage.
In phonetics and phonology, a class of sounds including nasals, liquids, and glides that are characterized by their resonant, musical quality. Can also be used more generally to describe something resonant or full-sounding.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The phonetic definition is universal. Potential minor spelling preferences (e.g., 'phonetic' vs. 'phonetic') do not apply to this term.
Connotations
None beyond its technical meaning.
Frequency
Equally rare and technical in both varieties. Use is confined almost exclusively to linguistics/phonetics contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sonorant” in a Sentence
[Sonorant] functions as a [noun] in phonological theory.The sound /l/ is classified as a [sonorant].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sonorant” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No verbal use)
American English
- (No verbal use)
adverb
British English
- (No adverbial use)
American English
- (No adverbial use)
adjective
British English
- The sonorant qualities of nasal consonants are crucial to the metre of the poem. (Extended, non-core use)
American English
- Linguists describe /m, n, ŋ, l, r, w, j/ as sonorant consonants.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Exclusively used in linguistics, phonetics, and phonology. Found in research papers, textbooks, and lectures.
Everyday
Never used in general conversation.
Technical
Core term in phonetic and phonological analysis for describing sound classes.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sonorant”
- Pronouncing it /soʊˈnɔːr.ənt/ (stress on the second syllable).
- Using it as a general adjective for 'loud' (archaic/poetic, highly marked).
- Confusing it with 'sonorous' in technical writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In a broad phonetic sense, vowels are highly sonorant sounds. However, in strict phonological classification, the term 'sonorant' is usually reserved for consonants (nasals, liquids, glides). Vowels are a separate class.
The direct antonym in phonetics is 'obstruent', which refers to sounds produced with a significant obstruction of the airflow, such as stops (p, t, k), fricatives (f, s, v), and affricates (tʃ, dʒ).
No. Its use as a general adjective meaning 'resonant' or 'sonorous' is archaic and poetic. In modern English, it is exclusively a technical term in linguistics.
In most languages, including English, the primary, phonemic sonorants (/m, n, ŋ, l, r, w, j/) are inherently voiced. However, they can be devoiced allophonically in certain contexts, like the devoiced /l/ after a voiceless stop in 'please'.
A speech sound produced with continuous, resonant airflow without turbulence or blockage.
Sonorant is usually academic, technical in register.
Sonorant: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɒn.ər.ənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɑː.nɚ.ənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(No idioms exist for this technical term)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'SONG-orant': sounds like 'song' which is resonant and musical, unlike hissing or popping sounds.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND IS A LIQUID / RESONANCE: Sonorants are the flowing, continuous, 'wet' sounds of speech, as opposed to the 'dry', obstructed sounds of stops and fricatives.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically classified as a sonorant in English phonology?