Põhihõõrdhäälikut

Põhihõõrdhäälikut, also known as voiced fricatives, are speech sounds produced by narrowing the vocal tract so that air is forced through a constricted passage, creating turbulence. This turbulence is accompanied by the vibration of the vocal cords, distinguishing them from voiceless fricatives.

In Estonian phonology, the primary voiced fricatives are /v/ and /z/. The sound /v/ is a labiodental fricative, articulated by bringing the lower lip close to the upper teeth and forcing air through the gap, causing vocal cord vibration. Examples in Estonian include words like "vesi" (water) and "vend" (brother).

The sound /z/ is an alveolar fricative, produced by raising the tip of the tongue close to the alveolar ridge (the bumpy part behind the upper teeth) and expelling air. Like /v/, vocal cord vibration is essential for its production. Estonian words featuring /z/ include "lõbu" (fun) and "isa" (father).

These sounds play a significant role in distinguishing word meanings in Estonian. For instance, the presence or absence of voicing in a fricative can change a word entirely, such as the difference between "sai" (received/bread) and "zai" (a non-existent word, but illustrates the potential minimal pair). The proper articulation and voicing of põhihõõrdhäälikut are crucial for clear and comprehensible Estonian speech.