Konsonantenquantität

Konsonantenquantität refers to the perceived length or duration of a consonant sound in linguistics. While many languages, like English, do not have phonemic consonant quantity, meaning the length of a consonant doesn't change the meaning of a word, other languages do. These languages use consonant quantity as a distinctive feature, similar to how vowels can be long or short.

In languages with phonemic consonant quantity, a longer consonant can differentiate between two otherwise identical words. For example, in Finnish, the difference between "tuli" (fire) and "tulli" (customs) is the length of the consonant. The single "t" in "tuli" is short, while the double "tt" in "tulli" is long. This distinction is crucial for understanding and speaking these languages correctly.

The phonetic realization of consonant quantity can vary. It might involve a longer closure phase in stop consonants, a longer hold phase in fricatives, or a longer oral obstruction in nasal or lateral consonants. The exact duration considered "long" or "short" is relative to the specific language and its phonetic system. Studying Konsonantenquantität is important for phoneticians and linguists seeking to understand the sound systems of various languages and how meaning is conveyed through subtle phonetic variations.