Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Phonetics: Having a palatal quality: Describes a speech sound, typically a consonant, that is articulated with the front or blade of the tongue raised toward or against the hard palate (the bony front part of the roof of the mouth). This articulation often gives the sound a 'y'-like or 'soft' quality.

Usage

• The term is used in phonetics and linguistics to describe the secondary articulation of a consonant. A palatalised sound is not a primary palatal sound (like the 'y' in 'yes') but rather another consonant (like /t/, /d/, /n/) that is produced with a simultaneous raising of the tongue toward the palate.
• It is often indicated in phonetic transcription by a superscript 'j' (e.g., [tʲ]) following the consonant symbol.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • In Russian, the letter 'ть' represents a palatalised 't' sound.
  • The 'n' in the word 'onion' [ˈʌnjən] can be considered a palatalised nasal.
  • Linguists note that the 'k' sound before a front vowel, as in 'key', is often slightly palatalised.

Advanced Usage

• Phonological Process: "Palatalisation" is the process by which a sound becomes palatalised, often due to the influence of a nearby front vowel (like /i/ or /e/) or the palatal approximant /j/.
  • The historical palatalisation of Latin /k/ before front vowels gave rise to sounds like /tʃ/ in French and Italian.

Variants and Related Words

• Palatalise (verb, chiefly British English): To articulate (a sound) with palatalisation.
  • Some speakers palatalise the /s/ in 'sugar'.
• Palatalized (adjective, chiefly American English): Alternative spelling of 'palatalised'.
• Palatalisation (noun, chiefly British English): The process or result of becoming palatalised.
  • The palatalisation of velar stops is a common sound change.
• Palatalization (noun, chiefly American English): Alternative spelling of 'palatalisation'.

Synonyms

• Softened (in the specific context of Slavic languages, where 'soft' consonants are palatalised).
• Yodised (less common, referring specifically to the influence of /j/).

Antonyms

• Velarised: Articulated with the back of the tongue raised toward the soft palate (velum).
• Non-palatalised: Lacking palatal secondary articulation; sometimes called 'plain' or 'hard' (especially in Slavic linguistics).

Adjective

1. produced with the front of the tongue near or touching the hard palate (as `y') or with the blade of the tongue near the hard palate (as `ch' in `chin' or `j' in `gin')