palatalism

/ˌpæləˈtælɪzəm/

Definitions

1. noun

A pronunciation of consonant sounds that are made with the palate, especially the sounds /k/ and /t/ made with the back of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, often resulting in a hard or guttural pronunciation.

“The linguist studied palatalism in several languages, including Arabic and Russian.”

Synonyms

  • palatalization
  • palatization

Antonyms

  • velarization