intervocalic voicing
in
ˌɪn
in
ter
vo
vəʊ
vew
ca
ˈkæ
lic
lɪk
lik
voi
vɔɪ
voy
cing
sɪng
sing

Definition & Meaning of "intervocalic voicing"in English

Intervocalic voicing
01

a phonological process in which a voiceless consonant between two vowels becomes voiced, typically due to the influence of the surrounding vowel sounds 

Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Abstract
Composition
complex compound
Uncountable

What is "intervocalic voicing"?

Intervocalic voicing is a phonological process where a voiceless consonant that occurs between two vowels becomes voiced. This change typically happens in specific linguistic contexts, often to ease pronunciation or create a smoother transition between sounds. For example, in English, the voiceless /t/ in the word "butter" can become voiced, resulting in a pronunciation similar to "budder." Intervocalic voicing is significant in linguistics because it illustrates how the phonetic environment can influence sound changes, helping to provide insights into the rules governing pronunciation and the dynamic nature of spoken language.

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