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Voiced retroflex lateral approximant
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<h2 id="features">Features</h2> <p>Features of the voiced retroflex lateral approximant: </p> <ul><li>Its <a href="/facts/Manner_of_articulation/HxyCqDQC">manner of articulation</a> is <a href="/facts/Approximant/SXrlw7zY">approximant</a>, which means it is produced by narrowing the vocal tract at the place of articulation, but not enough to produce a <a href="/facts/Turbulence/NpgFUhG5">turbulent airstream</a>.</li> <li>Its <a href="/facts/Place_of_articulation/exCzaxeF">place of articulation</a> is <a href="/facts/Retroflex_consonant/lsBdJD4V">retroflex</a>, which prototypically means it is articulated <a href="/facts/Subapical_consonant/0QJc2Fys">subapical</a> (with the tip of the tongue curled up), but more generally, it means that it is <a href="/facts/Postalveolar_consonant/YUo5nJly">postalveolar</a> without being <a href="/facts/Palatalization_(phonetics)/LXAIp4TB">palatalized</a>. That is, besides the prototypical subapical articulation, the tongue can be <a href="/facts/Apical_consonant/L7691gMF">apical</a> (pointed) or, in some fricatives, <a href="/facts/Laminal_consonant/EVA0SWmd">laminal</a> (flat).</li> <li>Its <a href="/facts/Phonation/u2IGLdgG">phonation</a> is voiced, which means the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.</li> <li>It is an <a href="/facts/Oral_consonant/feM4cful">oral consonant</a>, which means air is allowed to escape through the mouth only.</li> <li>It is a <a href="/facts/Lateral_consonant/Mcyc1or8">lateral consonant</a>, which means it is produced by directing the airstream over the sides of the tongue, rather than down the middle.</li> <li>Its <a href="/facts/Airstream_mechanism/qooe2ESC">airstream mechanism</a> is <a href="/facts/Pulmonic_egressive/BICa0WA0">pulmonic</a>, which means it is articulated by pushing air solely with the <a href="/facts/Intercostal_muscle/SFCkv3vD">intercostal muscles</a> and <a href="/facts/Abdominal_muscles/HcTzDFL0">abdominal muscles</a>, as in most sounds.</li></ul> <h2 id="occurrence">Occurrence</h2> <p>In the following transcriptions, diacritics may be used to distinguish between <a href="/facts/Apical_consonant/L7691gMF">apical</a> [ɭ̺] and <a href="/facts/Laminal_consonant/EVA0SWmd">laminal</a> [ɭ̻]. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="2">Language</th><th>Word</th><th><a href="/facts/International_Phonetic_Alphabet/2e7jmUaG">IPA</a></th><th>Meaning</th><th>Notes</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bashkir_language/u1N82RGj">Bashkir</a></td><td>ел</td><td>[jɪ̞ɭ]ⓘ</td><td>'wind'</td><td>Apical retroflex lateral; occurs in front vowel contexts.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Maldivian_language/ld63l0V9">Dhivehi</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Thaana/RA8a9PXM">ފަޅޯ</a> / <a href="/facts/Mal%25C3%25A9_Latin/TQLphFUB">falhoa</a></td><td>[faɭoː]</td><td>'papaya'</td><td>Represented by the <a href="/facts/Thaana/RA8a9PXM">Thaana</a> letter ޅ (<i>lhaviyani</i>).</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Enindhilyagwa_language/FPCmm3up">Enindhilyagwa</a></td><td><i>marluwiya</i></td><td>[maɭuwija]</td><td>'emu'</td><td></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Faroese_language/1nf145FG">Faroese</a></td><td><i>árla</i></td><td>[ɔɻɭa]</td><td>'early'</td><td>Allophone of /l/ after /ɹ/. See <a href="/facts/Faroese_phonology/Muq1mE7R">Faroese phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/French_language/qe1DnaQh">French</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Standard_French/KWnz3SUB">Standard</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></td><td><i><a href="/facts/French_alphabet/JkoJ2W1I">belle jambe</a></i></td><td>[bɛɭ ʒɑ̃b]</td><td>'beautiful leg'</td><td>Allophone of /l/ before /f/ and /ʒ/ for some speakers.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> See <a href="/facts/French_phonology/f5Px9rwj">French phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Gujarati_language/kGKRRbwe">Gujarati</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Gujarati_script/zbJCS2Rm">નળ</a></td><td>[nəɭə]</td><td>'tap'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ળ⟩. Pronounced as /ɭə/.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Kannada_language/cooJ3trn">Kannada</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Kannada_script/LUbwH0pS">ಎಳ್ಳು</a></td><td>[ˈeɭːu]</td><td>'sesame'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ಳ⟩</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Katukina-Kanamari_language/qz9YVPDC">Katukina-Kanamari</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></td><td></td><td>[ɭuːˈbɯ]</td><td>'to go'</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Khanty_language/drDgfCI2">Khanty</a></td><td>Eastern dialects</td><td rowspan="2">пуӆ</td><td rowspan="2">[puɭ]</td><td rowspan="2">'bit'</td><td rowspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Some northern dialects</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Korean_language/dmNnRxAA">Korean</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Hangul/prUQxzfJ">솔</a> / <i><a href="/facts/Revised_Romanization_of_Korean/jA5Fz40j">sol</a></i></td><td>[soɭ]</td><td>'pine'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ㄹ⟩. May also be pronounced as /l/.</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Malayalam_language/YLuvDWd3">Malayalam</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Malayalam_script/HDsBdkqw">Malayalam script</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Malayalam_script/HDsBdkqw">മലയാളം</a></td><td rowspan="2">[mɐlɐjäːɭɐm]ⓘ</td><td rowspan="2">'Malayalam'</td><td>Represented by the letter ⟨ള⟩. Sub apical retroflex. Long and short forms are contrastive word-medially<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Arabi_Malayalam/xrrUmLqW">Arabi Malayalam</a> (<a href="/facts/Malabar_Muslims/Xsw1x8F3">Mapilla</a>)</td><td>مَلَیٰاۻَمْ</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Mapuche_language/kl1shd1z">Mapudungun</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mapudungun_alphabet/YcCkVc9P">mara</a></i></td><td>[ˈmɜɭɜ]</td><td>'hare'</td><td>Possible realization of /ʐ/; may be [<a href="/facts/Voiced_retroflex_fricative/tfM7yN3u">ʐ</a>] or [<a href="/facts/Voiced_retroflex_approximant/TvVxIsqL">ɻ</a>] instead.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Marathi_language/uIJuwlFW">Marathi</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Devanagari/dQvQ3Ufs">बाळ</a></td><td>[baːɭ]</td><td>'baby/child'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ळ⟩. Pronounced as /ɭə/. See <a href="/facts/Marathi_phonology/kjXbd1r6">Marathi phonology</a>.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Miyakoan_language/tYAfVWAY">Miyako</a></td><td>Irabu dialect</td><td><a href="/facts/Ryukyuan_languages/jusQa0ar">昼間ピィルマ</a></td><td>[pɭːma]</td><td>'daytime'</td><td>Allophone of /ɾ/ used everywhere except syllable-initially.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Norwegian_language/TGEyeerM">Norwegian</a></td><td>Eastern and central dialects</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Norwegian_alphabet/ersy5Mfu">farlig</a></i></td><td>[ˈfɑːɭi]</td><td>'dangerous'</td><td>See <a href="/facts/Norwegian_phonology/jmBIScAK">Norwegian phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Odia_language/RCSkWVSf">Odia</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Odia_script/05jEzRTV">ଫଳ</a></td><td>[pʰɔɭɔ]</td><td>'fruit'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ଳ⟩. Pronounced as /ɭɔ/.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Parkari_Koli_language/rD902FLc">Parkari Koli</a></td><td>واۮۯون</td><td>[vaːɗaɭuːn]</td><td>' clouds</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Rajasthani_language/BKdEulmS">Rajasthani</a></td><td>फळ</td><td>[pʰəɭ]</td><td>'fruit'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ळ⟩.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Paiwan_language/ArokmtMD">Paiwan</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></td><td><i>ladjap</i></td><td>[ˈɭaɖap]</td><td>'lightning' or 'flash'</td><td>See <a href="/facts/Paiwan_language/ArokmtMD">Paiwan phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Punjabi_language/Dps9vRRe">Punjabi</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Gurmukhi/u6Nt0z14">Gurmukhi</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Gurmukhi_script/u6Nt0z14">ਤ੍ਰੇਲ਼</a></td><td rowspan="2">[t̪ɾeɭ]</td><td rowspan="2">'dew'</td><td rowspan="2">Represented by a ⟨ਲ਼⟩ and ⟨<a href="/facts/%25E0%25A3%2587/025fgtUV">لؕ</a>⟩. Font support may be required to see the letter in Shahmukhi.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Shahmukhi_alphabet/nageddhg">Shahmukhi</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Shahmukhi_alphabet/nageddhg">تریلؕ</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sanskrit/ychfjhlx">Sanskrit</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Vedic_Sanskrit/V0fnIRdc">Vedic</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Devanagari_script/dQvQ3Ufs">गरुळ</a></td><td>[gɐruɭɐ]</td><td>'the mythological bird who Is the vahana of Lord Vishnu'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ळ⟩. Pronounced as /ɭɐ/.This consonant was present in Vedic Sanskrit but had become /ɖ/ ⟨ड⟩ in classical Sanskrit. See <a href="/facts/Vedic_Sanskrit/V0fnIRdc">Vedic Sanskrit</a> and <a href="/facts/Sanskrit_phonology/Bm08KePb">Sanskrit phonology</a>.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Swedish_language/1DkSIXkH">Swedish</a></td><td><i><a href="/facts/Swedish_alphabet/9vQCp9EF">sorl</a></i></td><td>[soːɭ]ⓘ</td><td>'murmur' (noun)</td><td>See <a href="/facts/Swedish_phonology/2NY3Prus">Swedish phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Tamil_language/7I0lHL0d">Tamil</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a></td><td><a href="/facts/Tamil_script/QAEV8dJ5">ஆள்</a> / <a href="/facts/Arwi/uSd8gM6q">اٰۻْ</a></td><td>[äːɭ]</td><td>'person'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ள்⟩. See <a href="/facts/Tamil_phonology/k02LcIw7">Tamil phonology</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Telugu_language/yV5dQWhw">Telugu</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Telugu_script/GzUHyXLb">నీళ్ళు</a></td><td>[niːɭːu]ⓘ</td><td>'water'</td><td>Represented by a ⟨ళ⟩</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Wu_Chinese/IXnCCme0">Wu Chinese</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Northern_Wu/ah3rCtLT">Northern Wu</a> (<a href="/facts/Linping_District/4gnmz3Ir">Linping</a> variety)</td><td><a href="/facts/Chinese_characters/5pn1PFvj">而</a>/<a href="/facts/Romanization_of_Wu_Chinese/hJAU224r">er2</a></td><td>[eɭ˩˧]</td><td>'<i>conjunction</i> (<a href="/facts/Literary_Chinese/gjCoUEo4">literary</a>)'</td><td>A <a href="/facts/Rhotic_consonant/tcAGzjfP">rhotic consonant</a> (cf. <a href="/facts/Changzhounese/y6Hp66Vq">Changzhounese</a> /ɦər˨˩˧/)</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Index_of_phonetics_articles/IwhbEHGN">Index of phonetics articles</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <ul><li>Anjos, Zoraide dos (2012). <a href="https://doi.org/10.20396%2Fliames.v0i12.1486">"Fonologia Katukina-Kanamari"</a>. <i>LIAMES</i> (in Brazilian Portuguese). 12 (1): 123–156. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.20396%2Fliames.v0i12.1486">10.20396/liames.v0i12.1486</a>.</li> <li>Jiang, Haowen (April 2010). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120911225521/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf">"Malayalam: a Grammatical Sketch and a Text"</a> (PDF). Department of Linguistics, Rice University. Archived from <a href="http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf">the original</a> (PDF) on 2012-09-11.</li> <li>Keane, Elinor (2004). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100304001549">"Tamil"</a>. <i>Journal of the International Phonetic Association</i>. 34 (1): 111–116. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100304001549">10.1017/S0025100304001549</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Peter_Ladefoged/GPHjbHmP">Ladefoged, Peter</a>; <a href="/facts/Ian_Maddieson/p0cyavQ2">Maddieson, Ian</a> (1996). <a href="/facts/The_Sounds_of_the_World%2527s_Languages/Je2AlBAP"><i>The Sounds of the World's Languages</i></a>. Oxford: Blackwell. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-631-19815-6.</li> <li>Masica, Colin (1991). <i>The Indo-Aryan Languages</i>. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0-521-29944-2.</li> <li>Sadowsky, Scott; Painequeo, Héctor; Salamanca, Gastón; Avelino, Heriberto (2013). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369">"Mapudungun"</a>. <i>Journal of the International Phonetic Association</i>. 43 (1): 87–96. <a href="/facts/Doi_(identifier)/muM9Etpq">doi</a>:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369">10.1017/S0025100312000369</a>.</li> <li>Shimoji, Michinori (December 2008). "Phonology". <i>A Grammar of Irabu, a Southern Ryukyuan Language</i> (PhD thesis). The Australian National University. <a href="/facts/Hdl_(identifier)/rdebSxmC">hdl</a>:<a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1885%2F150638">1885/150638</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://phoible.org/parameters?sSearch_0=%C9%AD">List of languages with [ɭ]</a> on <a href="/facts/PHOIBLE/2qqHhjzI">PHOIBLE</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996), p. 198. - Ladefoged, Peter; Maddieson, Ian (1996). The Sounds of the World's Languages. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-19815-6. <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996), p. 198. - Ladefoged, Peter; Maddieson, Ian (1996). The Sounds of the World's Languages. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-19815-6. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996), p. 192. - Ladefoged, Peter; Maddieson, Ian (1996). The Sounds of the World's Languages. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-19815-6. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Ladefoged & Maddieson (1996), p. 192. - Ladefoged, Peter; Maddieson, Ian (1996). The Sounds of the World's Languages. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-19815-6. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Masica (1991), p. 97. - Masica, Colin (1991). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-29944-2. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Anjos (2012), p. 128. - Anjos, Zoraide dos (2012). "Fonologia Katukina-Kanamari". LIAMES (in Brazilian Portuguese). 12 (1): 123–156. doi:10.20396/liames.v0i12.1486. <a href="https://doi.org/10.20396%2Fliames.v0i12.1486" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.20396%2Fliames.v0i12.1486</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Jiang (2010), pp. 16–17. - Jiang, Haowen (April 2010). "Malayalam: a Grammatical Sketch and a Text" (PDF). Department of Linguistics, Rice University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-11. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120911225521/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120911225521/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Malayalam: a Grammatical Sketch and a Text" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2023-12-10. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180530070321/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180530070321/http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hj3/pub/Malayalam.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Sadowsky et al. (2013), p. 90. - Sadowsky, Scott; Painequeo, Héctor; Salamanca, Gastón; Avelino, Heriberto (2013). "Mapudungun". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 43 (1): 87–96. doi:10.1017/S0025100312000369. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Sadowsky et al. (2013), p. 90. - Sadowsky, Scott; Painequeo, Héctor; Salamanca, Gastón; Avelino, Heriberto (2013). "Mapudungun". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 43 (1): 87–96. doi:10.1017/S0025100312000369. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100312000369</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Masica (1991), p. 97. - Masica, Colin (1991). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-29944-2. <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"ladjap". Online Aboriginal Language Dictionary (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Indigenous Languages Research and Development Foundation. Retrieved 2022-09-04. <a href="https://e-dictionary.ilrdf.org.tw/pwn/terms/192352.htm" target="_blank">https://e-dictionary.ilrdf.org.tw/pwn/terms/192352.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Keane (2004), p. 111. - Keane, Elinor (2004). "Tamil". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 34 (1): 111–116. doi:10.1017/S0025100304001549. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100304001549" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0025100304001549</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>