Piklikud

Piklikud is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe elongated speech segments, specifically long vowels and long consonants. The word is derived from Estonian pikk, meaning “long,” with the suffix -ikud forming a plural or collective noun. In descriptive grammars, pikkikud serves as a label for duration contrasts within phonology.

In languages that have phonemic length, pikkikud encompass both vowels and consonants that are prolonged in speech. Estonian is often described as having contrastive vowel length, and some grammars also discuss length in consonants as a factor in syllable structure and prosody. The concept helps explain how timing and rhythm influence word formation and meaning in such languages. While exact terminology varies, pikkikud generally refers to segments that are longer than their short counterparts.

Usage and context include educational and descriptive grammar materials in Estonian linguistics, where pikkikud is used to compare short versus long vowels and consonants. In English-language phonology, the same idea is usually described with terms like vowel length and consonant gemination rather than the Estonian label. The term is most common in Estonian-language sources and discussions of Finnic phonology, rather than in broader international literature.

See also: vowel length, consonant length, gemination, phonology, Estonian language.