Parasentrale

Parasentrale is a term used in the field of linguistics to describe a type of vowel articulation. In parasentrale vowels, the tongue is positioned centrally in the mouth, but the tongue body is raised towards the hard palate or the velum (soft palate). This results in a vowel sound that is neither purely central nor purely front or back. Parasentrale vowels are characterized by a high degree of tongue constriction, which can affect the resonance characteristics of the vocal tract.

The term "parasentrale" is derived from the Greek words "para," meaning "beside" or "near," and "sentron," meaning "middle." This reflects the positioning of the tongue near the central region of the mouth, but not exactly in the middle. The concept of parasentrale vowels is particularly relevant in the study of vowel systems in languages, as it provides a framework for understanding the diverse range of vowel articulations that occur in human speech.

Parasentrale vowels are often found in languages with complex vowel systems, where speakers must produce a variety of vowel sounds with precise tongue positions. The acoustic properties of parasentrale vowels can vary depending on the specific language and the context in which they are used. For example, in some languages, parasentrale vowels may be distinguished by their formant frequencies, while in others, they may be distinguished by their duration or intensity.

In summary, parasentrale is a term used in linguistics to describe a type of vowel articulation in which the tongue is positioned centrally in the mouth but raised towards the hard palate or the velum. This results in a vowel sound that is neither purely central nor purely front or back. The concept of parasentrale vowels is relevant in the study of vowel systems in languages and provides a framework for understanding the diverse range of vowel articulations that occur in human speech.