Definition & Meaning of "dorsal consonant"

What is a "dorsal consonant"?

A dorsal consonant is a type of speech sound produced with the back of the tongue raised against the soft part of the roof of the mouth, known as the velum. This articulation involves the tongue's dorsal area, which is why it is referred to as "dorsal." In English, examples of dorsal consonants include the "k" sound in "cat" and the "g" sound in "go." Dorsal consonants are significant in phonetics because they contribute to the variety of consonant sounds and help distinguish words based on pronunciation, influencing both speech clarity and communication.