Pharyngeallike

Pharyngeallike is a term used in linguistics to describe sounds that are produced in a manner similar to pharyngeal consonants but are not strictly pharyngeal. These sounds typically involve a constriction or narrowing of the pharynx, the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity. However, pharyngeallike sounds may not achieve the full degree of constriction or the specific tongue root retraction associated with true pharyngeal consonants found in languages like Arabic or Hebrew.

The production of pharyngeallike sounds often involves the base of the tongue being drawn back towards the pharyngeal wall. This action can create a turbulence or friction sound as air passes through the narrowed passage. While some descriptions might consider these sounds as a type of uvular or even velar sound with secondary pharyngeal articulation, the term pharyngeallike emphasizes the prominent pharyngeal involvement in their articulation.

These sounds are not common in many major world languages but can be found in certain specific languages or dialects. They are often perceived as "deep" or "guttural" sounds. Phonetic analysis is crucial to distinguish true pharyngeal consonants from sounds that are merely pharyngeallike, as the subtle differences in constriction and tongue position can significantly alter the acoustic properties of the sound. The classification of such sounds can sometimes be debated among phoneticians depending on the specific acoustic and articulatory evidence.