uvular stop

phonetics

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July 2, 2026

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A uvular stop is a consonant sound produced by momentarily blocking the airflow in the vocal tract at the uvula, which is the fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate. This blockage, or occlusion, is followed by a release of air.1

Uvular stops are not distinct phonemes in English but exist in other languages. For example, they are found in some Arabic dialects and in various American Indian languages.2

The production of stops involves a complete closure of the vocal tract, differentiating them from fricatives, which have a partial closure. Stops are classified by their place of articulation, such as bilabial (lips), alveolar (tongue and ridge behind teeth), velar (back of tongue and soft palate), and uvular (uvula).13

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Austronesian languages
Phonetic types
Some Formosan languages have a uvular stop (written q), which is a consonant sound produced by drawing the backmost part of the tongue down to touch the wall of the pharynx. A number of the languages of Borneo and some other areas have unusual nasal consonants belonging to either of…
Read More
Some Formosan languages have a uvular stop (written q), which is a consonant sound produced by drawing the backmost part of the tongue down to touch the wall of the pharynx. A number of the languages of Borneo and some other areas have unusual nasal consonants belonging to either of…
Read More