Definition:
A dorsal consonant is a speech sound produced using the back of the tongue (the dorsum) as the active articulator, typically making contact with or approaching the velum (soft palate), uvula, or hard palate. Dorsals include velar, uvular, and palatal consonants.
In-Depth Explanation
The dorsum of the tongue is a large, relatively slow-moving articulator compared to the tongue tip used for coronals. Dorsal consonants are articulated at several sub-locations:
| Sub-type | Contact Point | English Examples | Japanese Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palatal | Hard palate | /j/ (yes) — sometimes classified separately | /j/ (や) |
| Velar | Soft palate (velum) | /k, g, ŋ/ | /k, g, ŋ/ |
| Uvular | Uvula | — (not in English) | /ɴ/ (ん before pause) |
In Japanese, the main dorsal consonants are:
- Velar stops /k/ and /g/: Standard consonants with straightforward articulation. Before /i/, they may be slightly palatalized [kʲ, gʲ], bringing them closer to the palatal region.
- The moraic nasal /ɴ/: The nasal consonant ん is one of the most interesting sounds in Japanese because it assimilates to the place of the following consonant. Before /k/ or /g/, it surfaces as the velar nasal [ŋ] (like English “sing”). Before a pause or vowel, it may be uvular [ɴ]. This single phoneme has dorsal, coronal, and labial realizations depending on context.
- [Velar nasal] [ŋ]: In some traditional Tokyo dialect, /g/ is pronounced as [ŋ] in word-medial position (鼻濁音 bidakuon). This is declining but still considered “elegant” in broadcasting and formal speech.
For English speakers learning Japanese, dorsal consonants are generally nonproblematic since English and Japanese share /k, g, ŋ/. The main learning point is understanding the moraic nasal’s dorsal allophones.
Related Terms
See Also
Research
- Ladefoged, P., & Johnson, K. (2014). A Course in Phonetics (7th ed.). Cengage Learning. — Clear coverage of dorsal articulations with diagrams and acoustic descriptions.
- Vance, T. J. (2008). The Sounds of Japanese. Cambridge University Press. — Detailed analysis of velar consonants and the moraic nasal’s dorsal allophones in Japanese.