[pressure]

Definition

When sounds are produced with two separate closures, there are movements of either the velar or glottal closures. If the movement pushes air away from the lungs, “the volume between the two closures will be reduced and the air pressure inside the cavity will increase” (Chomsky & Halle 1968:322). Velar pressure happens when the movement occurs in the velar closure and ejection (glottal pressure) is when the movement is in the glottal closure (Chomsky & Halle 1968:323).

Chomsky and Halle (1968) do not elaborate on velar pressure. Ejections are defined as “an upward movement of the glottal closure” and have been observed in many countries across the world (Chomsky & Halle 1968:323). 

Purpose

The feature [pressure] is used to determine the direction of air flow during movements of the velar and glottal closures (Chomsky & Halle 1968:322).

History

Chomsky and Halle (1968) introduce [pressure] alongside [suction] as supplementary movements.

Many linguists did not see a need for [pressure] as a feature after Chomsky and Halle (1968). Ejectives might have been described using [pressure], but they are most often described using [constricted glottis].

References

Chomsky, Noam; and Morris Halle. 1968. The sound pattern of English. New York: Harper and Row.

Author

Ainsley Graf