Definition & Meaning of "terminal devoicing"

What is "terminal devoicing"?

Terminal devoicing is a phonological process in which voiced consonants at the end of a word become voiceless. This often occurs in certain languages or dialects, where the final voiced sounds are pronounced without vocal cord vibration. For example, in German, the word "ab," meaning off, is often pronounced with a voiceless /p/ sound at the end, resulting in a pronunciation similar to "ap." Terminal devoicing is significant in linguistics because it demonstrates how phonetic rules can influence pronunciation and contribute to the distinctive sound patterns of different languages or dialects.