Labialization

{{short description|Secondary articulatory feature of sounds in some languages}} {{redirect|Lip rounding|the lip rounding of vowels|Roundedness}} {{Multiple issues| {{Full citations needed|date=January 2026}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2026}}}} {{Infobox IPA | above = Labial(-velar)ized with protrusion (rounded lips) | ipa symbol = ◌ʷ | decimal = 695 | imagefile = IPA Unicode 0x02B7.svg }} {{Infobox IPA | above = Labialized with compression (flat lips) | ipa symbol = ◌ᵝ | decimal = 7517 | imagefile = Unicode 0x1D5D.svg }} {{Sound change}} '''Labialization''' is a [[Secondary articulation|secondary articulatory]] feature of sounds in some languages. Consonants pronounced this way are said to be '''labialized''' and are usually transcribed in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] by affixing a superscript ''w'', {{angbr IPA|ʷ}}, to the base letter. Labialized sounds involve the lips while the remainder of the [[Human mouth|oral cavity]] produces another sound. The term is normally restricted to consonants. When vowels involve the lips, they are called [[roundedness|rounded]].

In [[phonology]], "labialization" may also refer to a type of [[Assimilation (linguistics)|assimilation]] process.

==Labialized consonants==

The most common labialized consonants are [[Labialized velar consonant|labialized velars]]. Most other labialized sounds also have simultaneous [[velarization]], and the process may then be more precisely called '''labio-velarization'''. The labialization of bilabial consonants, though generally transcribed with {{angbr IPA|◌ʷ}} as if it were labiovelar, is often a '''protrusion''' of the lips without velarization of the tongue.

Labialization has been attested with pulmonic, [[implosive]], [[ejective]] and [[click consonant]]s. All places and manners of pulmonic consonants are attested with labialized variants, with the possible exception of the [[epiglottal]]s.

== Occurrence == {{unreferenced section|date=January 2026}} Labialization is the most widespread secondary articulation in the world's languages. It is phonemically contrastive in [[Northwest Caucasian languages|Northwest Caucasian]] (e.g. [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]]), [[Athabaskan languages|Athabaskan]], and [[Salishan languages|Salishan]] [[language family|language families]], among others. This contrast is reconstructed also for [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]], the common ancestor of the [[Indo-European languages]], and it survives in [[Latin language|Latin]] and some [[Romance languages]]. It is also found in the [[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]] and [[Ethiopian Semitic languages|Ethio-Semitic]] languages.

[[American English]] labializes {{IPA|/r, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ, dʒ/}} to various degrees.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

A few languages, including [[Arrernte language|Arrernte]], have contrastive labialized forms for nearly all of their consonants.

In many [[Salishan languages]], such as [[Klallam language|Klallam]], velar consonants only occur in their labialized forms (except /k/, which occurs in some loanwords); however, uvular consonants occur abundantly labialized and unrounded.

==Types== {{Infobox IPA | above = Open-labialized | ipa symbol = ◌ꟹ | ipa number = | decimal1 = }} {{Infobox IPA | above = Labiodentalized | ipa symbol = ◌ᶹ | ipa number = | decimal1 = }} {{Infobox IPA | above = Labio-palatalized | ipa symbol = ◌ᶣ | ipa number = | decimal1 = }}

Out of 706 language inventories surveyed by {{Harvcoltxt|Ruhlen|1976}}, labialization occurred most often with [[velar consonant|velar]] (42%) and [[uvular consonant|uvular]] (15%) segments and least often with [[dental consonant|dental]] and [[alveolar consonant|alveolar]] segments. With non-dorsal consonants, labialization may include [[velarization]] as well. Labialization is not restricted to lip-rounding. The following articulations have either been described as labialization or been found as [[allophone|allophonic]] realizations of prototypical labialization:

* Labiodental frication, found in [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]]<ref name="ARA">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ApzO7A7-xcUC&q=abkhaz+labialized|title = Annual Review of Anthropology|year = 1977|isbn = 9780824319069| last1=Siegel | first1=Bernard J. | publisher=Annual Reviews Incorporated }}</ref> * Labiodentalization is a common idiosyncrasy of English {{IPA|/s/}} and {{IPA|/z/}}, and especially of {{IPA|/r/}}.<ref>John Laver [1994: 321] ''Principles of Phonetics''</ref> * Complete bilabial closure, {{IPA|[d͡b, t͡p, t͡pʼ]}}, found in Abkhaz and [[Ubykh language|Ubykh]]<ref name="ARA" /> * "Labialization" ({{IPA|/w/}}, {{IPA|/ɡʷ/}}, and {{IPA|/kʷ/}}) without noticeable rounding (protrusion) of the lips, found in the [[Iroquoian languages]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}. It may be that they are [[roundedness|compressed]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} * Rounding without velarization, found in [[Shona language|Shona]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} and in the [[Bzyb dialect]] of [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

[[Eastern Arrernte]] has labialization at all [[place of articulation|places]] and [[manner of articulation|manners of articulation]]; this derives historically from adjacent rounded vowels, as is also the case of the [[Northwest Caucasian languages]]. [[Marshallese language|Marshallese]] also has phonemic labialization as a [[secondary articulation]] at all places of articulation except for [[labial consonant]]s and [[coronal consonant|coronal]] [[obstruent consonant|obstruent]]s.

In North America, languages from a number of families have sounds that sound labialized (and vowels that sound rounded) without the participation of the lips.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}} [[Tillamook language|Tillamook]] is an example.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thompson |first=Laurence C. |last2=Thompson |first2=M. Terry |date=1966 |title=A Fresh Look at Tillamook Phonology |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/464920 |journal=International Journal of American Linguistics |language=en |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=313–319 |doi=10.1086/464920 |issn=0020-7071|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Similarly to the distinction between the labio-palatal {{IPA|[ɥ]}} and labio-velar {{IPA|[w]}} [[semivowel]]s, some languages exhibit [[labio-palatalization]] {{IPA|[ᶣ]}}, rather than labio-velarization {{IPA|[ʷ]}}.

=== Prelabialization === In [[Slovene language|Slovene]], sounds can be prelabialized. Furthermore, the change is phonemic and all phonemes have prelabialized pairs (though not all of their allophones can have pairs). Compare {{Wikt-lang|sl|stati}} 'stand' {{IPA|[ˈs̪t̪àːt̪í]}} and {{Wikt-lang|sl|vstati}} 'stand up' {{IPA|[ˈʷs̪t̪àːt̪í]}}. The prelabialization part, however, is usually not considered as being part of the same phoneme as prelabialized sound, but rather as an allophone of {{IPA|/ʋ/}} as it changes depending on the environment, e. g. {{Wikt-lang|sl|vzeti}} 'take' {{IPA|[ˈʷz̪èːt̪í]}} and {{Wikt-lang|sl|povzeti}} 'summarize' {{IPA|[pou̯ˈz̪èːt̪í]}}.<ref>{{citation |last=Jurgec |first=Peter |title=Novejše besedje s stališča fonologije Primer slovenščine |page=95 |year=2007 |location=Tromsø |language=sl}}</ref> See [[Slovene phonology]] for more details.

==Transcription== In the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]], [[Roundedness#Typology|protruded]] labialization is indicated with a raised {{angbr IPA|w}} modifier {{IPA|[ʷ]}}, as in {{IPA|/kʷ/}}. There are also diacritics, respectively {{IPA|[ɔ̹], [ɔ̜]}}, to indicate greater or lesser degrees of rounding.<ref>As a mnemonic, the more-rounded diacritics resemble the rounded vowel {{angbr IPA|ɔ}}.</ref> These are normally used with vowels but may occur with consonants. For example, in [[Hupa language|Hupa]], an [[Athabaskan language]], [[voiceless velar fricative]]s distinguish three degrees of labialization, transcribed either {{IPA|/x/, /x̹/, /xʷ/}} or {{IPA|/x/, /x̜ʷ/, /xʷ/}}.

The [[Voice Quality Symbols|VoQS]] system has two additional symbols for degrees of rounding, originally introduced as part of the [[extensions to the IPA]]: Spread {{IPA|[i͍]}} and open-rounded {{IPA|[ʃꟹ]}} (as in English and French{{sfnp|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996|p=148}}). It also has a symbol for [[labiodental approximant|labiodentalized]] sounds, {{IPA|[tᶹ]}}, which the IPA ''Handbook'' (1999) states may also be used for protruded labialization if {{angbr IPA|ʷ}} is additionally specifying simultaneous velarization.<ref>{{cite book|author=International Phonetic Association|year=1999|title=Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet|publisher=Cambridge University Press|pages=17, 190|isbn=978-0-52163751-0}}</ref>

If precision is desired, the Abkhaz and Ubykh articulations may be transcribed with the appropriate fricative or trill raised as a diacritic: {{IPA|[tᵛ]}}, {{IPA|[tᵝ]}}, {{IPA|[t𐞄]}}, {{IPA|[tᵖ]}}.

For simple labialization, {{Harvcoltxt|Ladefoged|Maddieson|1996}} resurrected an old IPA symbol, {{IPA|[&nbsp;̫]}},<ref>This is not a subscript ''w'' but originally a subscript omega that "recalls the letter ''w''" (Jespersen & Pedersen, 1926, ''Phonetic Transcription and Transliteration: Proposals of the Copenhagen Conference, April 1925.'' Oxford University Press).</ref> which would be placed above a letter with a descender such as {{IPA|ɡ}}. However, their chief example is Shona ''sv'' and ''zv,'' which they transcribe {{IPA|/s̫/}} and {{IPA|/z̫/}} but which actually seem to be [[whistled sibilant]]s, without necessarily being labialized.<ref>See [http://www.cefala.org/issp2006/cdrom/articles/shosted.pdf]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516193747/http://www.cefala.org/issp2006/cdrom/articles/shosted.pdf|date=May 16, 2008}}</ref> Another possibility is to use the IPA diacritic for rounding, distinguishing for example the labialization in English ''soon'' {{IPA|[s̹]}} and {{IPA|[sʷ]}} ''swoon''.<ref>John Esling (2010) "Phonetic Notation", in Hardcastle, Laver & Gibbon (eds) ''The Handbook of Phonetic Sciences'', 2nd ed.</ref> The open rounding of English {{IPA|/ʃ/}} is also unvelarized.

==Assimilation== Labialization also refers to a specific type of assimilatory process where a given sound become labialized due to the influence of neighboring labial sounds. For example, {{IPA|/k/}} may become {{IPA|/kʷ/}} in the environment of {{IPA|/o/}}, or {{IPA|/a/}} may become {{IPA|/o/}} in the environment of {{IPA|/p/}} or {{IPA|/kʷ/}}.

In the [[Northwest Caucasian languages]] as well as some [[Australian languages]] rounding has shifted from the vowels to the consonants, producing a wide range of labialized consonants and leaving in some cases only two phonemic vowels. This appears to have been the case in Ubykh and [[Eastern Arrernte]], for example. The labial vowel sounds usually still remain, but only as allophones next to the now-labial consonant sounds.

==List of labialized consonants== {| class="wikitable" |+ ! colspan ="2" | Type ! width="28%" | [[Phone (phonetics)|Phone]] !IPA ! Languages |- | rowspan="29" | [[Plosive|Stop]] | rowspan="16" | plain | protruded [[voiceless bilabial stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless bilabial plosive.ogg|[pʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Chaha, [[Ibaloi language|Ibaloi]], Paha, [[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | protruded [[voiced bilabial stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced bilabial plosive.ogg|[bʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Chaha, [[Ibaloi language|Ibaloi]], Paha, [[Mayo language|Mayo]], [[Yaqui language|Yaqui]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless dental stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[t̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (marginal) |- | lab^zd [[voiced dental stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[d̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolar stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolar plosive.ogg|[tʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Archi language|Archi]], [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]], [[Lao language|Lao]], [[Paha language|Paha]], [[Ubykh language|Ubykh]], [[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolar stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced alveolar plosive.ogg|[dʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Abkhaz, [[Gua language|Gua]], Ubykh, [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless retroflex stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ʈʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolo-palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[c̟ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[cʷ]}}</big> |[[Medumba]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɟʷ]}}</big> |[[Medumba]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless velar stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless velar plosive.ogg|[kʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Abaza language|Abaza]], [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]], [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], [[Halkomelem]], [[Kabardian language|Kabardian]], Taos, Chipewyan, Hadza, Gwichʼin, Tlingit, [[Akan language|Akan]], Nez Perce, Archi, [[Cantonese]], Wariʼ, [[Chaha language|Chaha]], [[Dahalo language|Dahalo]], [[Hausa language|Hausa]], [[Igala language|Igala]], [[Igbo language|Igbo]], Lao, [[Latin phonology|Latin]], [[Nahuatl]], [[Nawat language|Nawat]], [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]], [[Ossetian language|Ossetic]], Paha, [[Portuguese phonology|Portuguese]], [[Thai language|Thai]], [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], [[Hiw language|Hiw]], Ubykh, [[Slavey language|Bearlake Slavey]], [[Breton language|Breton]], [[Gothic language|Gothic]], [[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced velar stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced velar plosive.ogg|[ɡʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Abaza language|Abaza]], [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]], Adyghe, Akan, Archi, Chaha, Dahalo, Hausa, Okinawan, Oowekyala, Ossetic, Hadza, [[Ibaloi language|Ibaloi]], Igala, Igbo, Gwichʼin, Kabardian, Paha, Portuguese, Tigrinya, Ubykh, [[Breton language|Breton]], [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]], [[Gothic language|Gothic]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless uvular stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless uvular plosive.ogg|[qʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Abaza language|Abaza]], [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]], Adyghe, Kabardian, Ossetic, Paha, Tlingit, Nez Perce, Ubykh |- | lab^zd pharyngealized [[voiceless uvular stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[qˤʷ]}}</big> | [[Archi language|Archi]], [[Ubykh language|Ubykh]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced uvular stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced uvular plosive.ogg|[ɢʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Oowekyala language|Oowekyala]], [[Kwak'wala]], Tsakhur |- | lab^zd [[glottal stop]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized glottal stop.ogg|[ʔʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Adyghe, Kabardian, Lao, Tlingit |- | rowspan="11" |[[Prenasalized consonant|prenasalized]] |protruded [[voiceless bilabial stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵐpʷ]}}</big> | [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- |protruded [[voiced bilabial stop]] |<big>{{IPA|[ᵐbʷ]}}</big> |[[Tamambo language|Tamambo]], [[Eastern Arrernte]], [[North Teke language|North Teke]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (marginal) |- | lab^zd [[voiced dental stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ⁿd̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ⁿtʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ⁿdʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolo-palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᶮɟ᫈ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced retroflex stop]] |<big>{{IPA|[ᶯɖʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᶮcʷ]}}</big> |[[Medumba]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced palatal stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᶮɟʷ]}}</big> |[[Medumba]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless velar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵑkʷ]}}</big> |North Teke, [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced velar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵑɡʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], North Teke, [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | rowspan = "2" | [[Labial–velar consonant|labial–velar]] | protruded [[voiceless labio-velar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[k͡pʷ]}}</big> | [[Dorig language|Dorig]], [[Mwotlap language|Mwotlap]] |- | protruded [[voiced labial–velar stop]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵑᵐɡ͡bʷ]}}</big> | [[Nizaa language|Nizaa]], [[Volow language|Volow]] |- | rowspan = "11" | [[Affricate]] | rowspan = "6" | [[sibilant]] | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolar affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolar affricate.ogg|[t͡sʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], Archi, Lezgian, Tsakhur |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolar affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced alveolar affricate.ogg|[d͡zʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], Dahalo, North Teke |- | lab^zd [[voiceless postalveolar affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless palato-alveolar affricate.ogg|[t͡ʃʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Abaza, Adyghe, Paha, Aghul, German |- | lab^zd [[voiced postalveolar affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced palato-alveolar affricate.ogg|[d͡ʒʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Aghul, Tsakhur, German |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolo-palatal affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[t͡ɕʷ]}}</big> | Abkhaz, Akan, [[Gua language|Gua]], Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolo-palatal affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[d͡ʑʷ]}}</big> | Abkhaz, Akan, Ubykh |- | rowspan="2" | non-sibilant | lab^zd [[voiceless velar affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless velar affricate.ogg|[k͡xʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Navajo language|Navajo]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless uvular affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless uvular affricate.ogg|[q͡χʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Kabardian language|Kabardian]], Lillooet |- | [[Lateral consonant|lateral]] | lab^zd [[voiceless velar lateral affricate]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless velar lateral affricate.ogg|[k͡𝼄ʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi |- | rowspan="2" | prenasalized | lab^zd [[voiceless postalveolar affricate]] |<big>{{IPA|[ⁿtʃʷ]}}</big> |North Teke |- | lab^zd [[voiced postalveolar affricate]] |<big>{{IPA|[ⁿdʒʷ]}}</big> |North Teke |- | rowspan="29" | [[Fricative]] | rowspan="8" | sibilant | lab^zd [[Voiceless alveolar fricative#Voiceless alveolar sibilant|voiceless alveolar sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolar sibilant1.ogg|[sʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Lao, Lezgian, [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[Voiced alveolar fricative#voiced alveolar sibilant|voiced alveolar sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced alveolar sibilant.ogg|[zʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Tsakhur, Lezgian, [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless postalveolar sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolar sibilant.ogg|[ʃʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Abaza, Abkhaz, Adyghe, Paha, Aghul, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiced postalveolar sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced palato-alveolar sibilant.ogg|[ʒʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi, Abaza, Abkhaz, Adyghe, Aghul, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiceless retroflex sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless retroflex sibilant.ogg|[ʂʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Bzhedug Adyghe dialect|Bzhedug]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced retroflex sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced retroflex sibilant.ogg|[ʐʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Bzhedug Adyghe dialect|Bzhedug]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolo-palatal sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolo-palatal sibilant.ogg|[ɕʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abkhaz, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolo-palatal sibilant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced alveolo-palatal sibilant.ogg|[ʑʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abkhaz, Ubykh |- | rowspan = "15" | non-sibilant | protruded [[voiceless bilabial fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɸʷ]}}</big> | Okinawan, [[Taruma language|Taruma]] |- | protruded [[voiced bilabial fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced bilabial fricative.wav|[βʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Tamambo language|Tamambo]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (contrasts with the labiodental) |- | lab^zd [[voiceless labiodental fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless labiodental fricative.ogg|[fʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Hadza, Chaha, [[Gua language|Gua]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced labiodental fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced labiodental fricative.ogg|[vʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (contrasts with the bilabial), [[Chichewa]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pbase.phon.chass.ncsu.edu/language/417|title=PBase|website=pbase.phon.chass.ncsu.edu|access-date=2025-10-31}}</ref> |- | lab^zd [[voiceless dental fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless dental fricative.ogg|[θʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Paha |- | lab^zd [[voiced dental fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced dental fricative.ogg|[ðʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Paha |- | lab^zd [[voiceless palatal fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless palatal fricative.ogg|[çʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Akan |- | lab^zd [[voiceless velar fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless velar fricative.ogg|[xʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Adyghe, [[Avestan language|Avestan]], Chaha, [[Halkomelem]], Kabardian, Oowekyala, Taos, Navajo, Tigrinya, Lillooet, Tlingit |- | lab^zd [[voiced velar fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced velar fricative.ogg|[ɣʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Navajo, Lillooet, Gwichʼin, possibly [[Proto-Indo-European]] |- | lab^zd [[voiceless uvular fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless uvular fricative.ogg|[χʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abkhaz, Adyghe, Archi, [[Halkomelem]], Kabardian, Lillooet, Tlingit, Wariʼ, Chipewyan, Oowekyala, Ossetic, Ubykh |- | lab^zd pharyngealized [[voiceless uvular fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[χˤʷ]}}</big> | Abkhaz, Archi, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiced uvular fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced uvular fricative.ogg|[ʁʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abkhaz, Adyghe, Chipewyan, Kabardian, Ubykh |- | lab^zd pharyngealized [[voiced uvular fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[ʁˤʷ]}}</big> | Archi, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[voiceless pharyngeal fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless pharyngeal fricative.ogg|[ħʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Abkhaz |- | lab^zd [[voiced pharyngeal fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiced pharyngeal fricative.ogg|[ʕʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Lillooet |- | pseudo-fricative | lab^zd [[voiceless glottal fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless glottal fricative.ogg|[hʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Akan, Tlingit, Tsakhur, [[Gothic language|Gothic]], [[Gua language|Gua]] |- | rowspan = "2" | lateral | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolar lateral fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless alveolar lateral fricative.ogg|[ɬʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Dahalo |- | lab^zd [[voiceless velar lateral fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized voiceless velar lateral fricative.ogg|[𝼄ʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Archi |- | rowspan="3" |prenasalized | lab^zd [[voiced labiodental fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᶬvʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (marginal) |- | lab^zd [[voiceless alveolar fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[ⁿsʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolar fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[ⁿzʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] (marginal) |- | rowspan="14" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]] | rowspan="8" |plain | protruded [[bilabial nasal]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized bilabial nasal.ogg|[mʷ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], [[Chaha language|Chaha]], [[Paha language|Paha]], [[Tamambo language|Tamambo]], [[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- |lab^zd [[dental nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[n̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- |lab^zd [[alveolar nasal]] |<big>{{IPA|[nʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | lab^zd [[retroflex nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɳʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[alveolo-palatal nasal]] |<big>{{IPA|[ɲ᫈ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[palatal nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɲʷ]}}</big> | Akan, [[North Teke language|North Teke]] |- | lab^zd [[velar nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋʷ]}}</big> | Akan, Avestan, Lao, [[Hiw language|Hiw]], Igala, [[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | protruded [[labial-velar nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋ͡mʷ]}}</big> | [[Dorig language|Dorig]], [[Gua language|Gua]], [[Mwotlap language|Mwotlap]] |- | rowspan="6" | [[pre-stopped]] | protruded [[bilabial nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵖmʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[dental nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵗn̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[alveolar nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵗnʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[retroflex nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[𐞯ɳʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[alveolo-palatal nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᶜɲ᫈ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[velar nasal]] | <big>{{IPA|[ᵏŋʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | colspan="2" rowspan="2" |[[Flap consonant|Flap/tap]] |lab^zd [[alveolar tap]] |<big>{{IPA|[ɾʷ]}}</big> |Mishmi, [[Eastern Arrernte]] |- |lab^zd [[alveolar lateral flap]] |<big>{{IPA|[ɺʷ]}}</big> |[[Soga language#Phonology|Soga]] |- | colspan="2" |[[Trill consonant|Trill]] |lab^zd [[alveolar trill]] |<big>{{IPA|[rʷ]}}</big> |Marshallese |- | rowspan="13" |[[Approximant]] | rowspan="4" |lateral |lab^zd [[dental lateral approximant]] |<big>{{IPA|[l̪ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[alveolar lateral approximant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Labialized alveolar lateral approximant.ogg|[lʷ]|help=no}}</big> | Lao, [[Eastern Arrernte]], [[Gua language|Gua]] |- | lab^zd [[retroflex lateral approximant]] |<big>{{IPA|[ɭʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[alveolo-palatal lateral approximant]] | <big>{{IPA|[ʎ̟ʷ]}}</big> |[[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | rowspan="9" |median | lab^zd [[labiodental approximant]]{{clarify|date=December 2023}} | <big>{{IPA|[ʋʷ]}}</big> | Russian<ref name="yb">{{Harvcoltxt|Yanushevskaya|Bunčić|2015|p=223}}</ref> |- | [[labialized palatal approximant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|LL-Q150 (fra)-WikiLucas00-IPA ɥ.wav|[ɥ], [jʷ]}}</big> | Abkhaz, Akan, [[French language|French]], [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]], Paha, [[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | compressed [[labio-velar approximant]] (voiced) | <big>{{IPA|[ɰᵝ]}}</big> | [[Japanese language|Japanese]]{{cn|date=February 2026|reason=Would like a cite that this is compressed and not simply spread}} |- | protruded [[labio-velar approximant]] (voiced) |<big>{{audio-IPA|Voiced_labio-velar_approximant.ogg|[w], [ɰʷ]}}</big> |widespread; in nearly every above-mentioned language, as well as e.g. [[Arabic language|Arabic]], [[English language|English]], [[Korean language|Korean]], [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]] |- | [[voiceless labio-velar approximant]] | <big>{{IPA|[w̥]}}</big> | certain dialects of English |- | [[nasalized labio-velar approximant]] | <big>{{IPA|[w̃]}}</big> | Polish, Portuguese |- | nasalized [[voiceless labio-velar approximant]] | <big>{{IPA|[w̥̃]}}</big> | [[Nemi language|Nemi]] |- | lab^zd [[postalveolar approximant]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɹ̠ʷ]}}</big> | rowspan=2|[[Pronunciation of English /r/|many dialects of English]] [[Eastern Arrernte]] |- | lab^zd [[retroflex approximant]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|Retroflex approximant.ogg|[ɻʷ]}}</big> |- | rowspan="14" colspan=2 | [[Ejective]] | protruded [[bilabial ejective]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|labialized bilabial ejective.ogg|[pʷʼ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]] |- | lab^zd [[alveolar ejective]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|labialized alveolar ejective.ogg|[tʷʼ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Abkhaz language|Abkhaz]], Adyghe, [[Ubykh language|Ubykh]] |- | lab^zd [[velar ejective]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|labialized velar ejective.ogg|[kʷʼ]|help=no}}</big> | [[Abaza language|Abaza]], Abkhaz, [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], Archi, [[Slavey language|Bearlake Slavey]], Chipewyan, [[Halkomelem]], [[Kabardian language|Kabardian]], Ossetic, [[Tlingit language|Tlingit]], Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[postalveolar ejective fricative]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|labialized palato-alveolar ejective fricative.ogg|[ʃʷʼ]|help=no}}</big> | Adyghe |- | lab^zd [[uvular ejective]] | <big>{{audio-IPA|labialized uvular ejective.ogg|[qʷʼ]|help=no}}</big> | Abaza, Abkhaz, Archi, [[Halkomelem]], [[Hakuchi Adyghe dialect|Hakuchi]], [[Tlingit language|Tlingit]], Ubykh |- | lab^zd pharyngealized [[uvular ejective]] | <big>{{IPA|[qˤʷʼ]}}</big> | [[Archi language|Archi]], [[Ubykh language|Ubykh]] |- | lab^zd [[alveolar ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[t͡sʷʼ]}}</big> | Archi, Khwarshi |- | lab^zd [[alveolar lateral ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[t͡ɬʷʼ]}}</big> | Khwarshi |- | lab^zd [[postalveolar ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[t͡ʃʷʼ]}}</big> | Abaza, Archi, Khwarshi |- | lab^zd [[retroflex ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[ʈ͡ʂʷʼ]}}</big> | allophonic in Adyghe |- | lab^zd [[alveolo-palatal ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[t͡ɕʷʼ]}}</big> | Abkhaz, Ubykh |- | lab^zd [[velar lateral ejective affricate]] | <big>{{IPA|[k͡𝼄ʷʼ]}}</big> | Archi |- | lab^zd [[velar ejective fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[xʷʼ]}}</big> | [[Tlingit language|Tlingit]] |- | lab^zd [[uvular ejective fricative]] | <big>{{IPA|[χʷʼ]}}</big> | [[Tlingit language|Tlingit]]

|- | colspan="2" rowspan="16" | [[Click consonant|Click]] | lab^zd [[tenuis dental click]] | <big>{{IPA|[kǀʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa (tenuis or ejective), Yeyi<ref>Inventory in Lukusa (2002) ''Groundwork in Shiyeyi Grammar'', p. XXI ''ff''</ref> |- | lab^zd [[tenuis alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[kǃʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa (tenuis or ejective), Yeyi |- |lab^zd [[Tenuis lateral click|tenuis alveolar click]] |<big>{{IPA|[kǁʷ]}}</big> |Xhosa (tenuis or ejective) |- | lab^zd [[aspirated dental click]] | <big>{{IPA|[kǀʰʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- | lab^zd [[aspirated alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[kǃʰʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- | lab^zd [[aspirated lateral click]] | <big>{{IPA|[kǁʰʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- | lab^zd [[nasal dental click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǀʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- | lab^zd [[nasal alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǃʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- | lab^zd [[nasal lateral click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǁʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa, Yeyi |- |lab^zd [[voiced dental click]] |<big>{{IPA|[ɡǀʷ]}}</big> |Xhosa (voiced aspirated) |- | lab^zd [[voiced alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɡǃʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa (voiced aspirated), Yeyi<ref>Inventory in Donnelly (2002) ''Yeeyi''</ref> |- | lab^zd [[voiced lateral click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ɡǁʷ]}}</big> | Xhosa (voiced aspirated), Yeyi |- | lab^zd glottalized [[nasal alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǃˀʷ]}}</big> | Yeyi |- |lab^zd breathy [[nasal dental click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǀʱʷ]}}</big> |Xhosa |- |lab^zd breathy [[nasal alveolar click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǃʱʷ]}}</big> |Xhosa |- |lab^zd breathy [[nasal lateral click]] | <big>{{IPA|[ŋǁʱʷ]}}</big> |Xhosa |}

Note that labialized [[palatal click]]s are not attested in Yeyi and are not reconstructed for [[Proto-Kxʼa]]. Xhosa also has prenasalized tenuis/ejective and aspirated clicks, which also occur labialized (''nkqw, nkxw, nchw, nqhw, nxhw'').

==See also== *[[Labio-palatalization]] (◌ᶣ)

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== *{{cite book |last=Crowley |first=Terry |year=1997 |title=An Introduction to Historical Linguistics |edition=3rd |publisher=Oxford University Press}} * {{SOWL}} * {{cite book |last=Ruhlen |first=Merritt |author-link=Merritt Ruhlen |year=1976 |title=A Guide to the Languages of the World |publisher=Stanford University Press }}

* {{cite journal |last1=Yanushevskaya |first1=Irena |last2=Bunčić |first2=Daniel |year=2015 |title=Russian |journal=Journal of the International Phonetic Association |volume=45 |issue=2 |pages=221–228 |doi=10.1017/S0025100314000395 |doi-access=free }}

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