Labiovelar

Labiovelar refers to a consonant that is articulated with both the lips (labial) and the velum (velar) at the same time. In linguistic descriptions, it is often treated as a single place of articulation called labial-velar. The defining feature is the coordination of lip rounding or closure together with a velar constriction, producing a single phoneme rather than a sequence of two separate articulations.

The most common labial-velar sounds are stops written with IPA ligature symbols such as k͡p (voiceless) and ɡ͡b (voiced). In these sounds, the lips and the velum close simultaneously, releasing as one unit. Some languages also have labial-velar fricatives or approximants, and the bilabial-velar approximant [w] is frequently described as a labiovelar sound because it involves both lip rounding and a velar contribution to articulation.

Labial-velar consonants occur in a number of African languages, where they can form an unusual but central part of the consonant inventory. Notable examples include Ewe, Yoruba, and Igbo, among others. In such languages, these sounds contrast with plain velars and bilabials and can interact with other phonological processes, influencing patterns of harmony, syllable structure, and loanword adaptation.

In phonetic notation, the ligatured forms like [k͡p] and [ɡ͡b] signal a single phoneme with dual articulatory targets. The labiovelar category also encompasses the labiovelar approximant [w], which is often analyzed as a single sound that merges labial and velar articulatory properties.