Lokhljóð

Lokhljóð is a linguistic term used to describe the consonant or consonant cluster that follows the syllable nucleus, i.e., the coda of a syllable. It serves as the counterpart to the onset, which begins a syllable. In many phonological descriptions, a syllable is represented as (C)(C)V(C)(C), with lokhljóðs occupying the final position(s). Lokhljóðs can be single consonants or consonant clusters, and their permissible shapes vary across languages.

The presence and nature of lokhljóðs influence several phonological properties. They contribute to syllable weight, interact with stress placement, and participate in phonotactic constraints that determine which final sequences are permissible. Lokhljóðs can also undergo processes such as coda simplification, assimilation with neighboring sounds, or elision in rapid speech. Some languages restrict codas to a single consonant, while others permit more complex clusters.

Typologically, lokhljóðs include stops, fricatives, nasals, liquids, and, in some languages, glides. The set and structure of coda sequences help distinguish languages in terms of syllable architecture and prosody. In historical linguistics, lokhljóðs are central to the study of how final consonants emerge, shift, or disappear over time and how such changes affect vowel distribution and rhyme.

In descriptive grammars, the concept of lokhljóð aligns with the general notion of coda consonants. In Nordic and Icelandic literature, the term is commonly used to refer specifically to the end consonant or final consonant clusters of a syllable. Examples include a single coda like the final [t] in “cat” or a cluster like [sts] in “tests.”