Utterable

Utterable is an adjective describing something that can be uttered, i.e., spoken aloud or expressed in speech. In ordinary use, it refers to words, sentences, or other speech-ready forms that a speaker can articulate and a listener can reasonably understand in the intended language. The term contrasts with unutterable, which is used for things that cannot or should not be spoken aloud, often due to taboo, ineffability, or linguistic constraints.

In linguistics, utterability intersects with phonology, phonotactics, and syntax. A string of sounds or a sentence is considered utterable in a given language if it adheres to the language’s phonemic inventory and permissible sound sequences, can be produced by the speaker’s articulatory system, and conforms to the language’s grammatical structure. Some sequences may be technically pronounceable yet rarely used or pragmatically ill-formed. Conversely, some thoughts or propositions are not utterable in a given language because no discrete utterance exists to express them exactly, though multilingual speakers may approximate with paraphrase. Cross-linguistic differences in phonotactics can make certain sequences utterable in one language but not in another.

In philosophy of language, utterability is used to discuss whether a thought, claim, or experience can be expressed in speech without loss of intended meaning. The adjective is also used in literary and religious contexts to denote the limit of expression, often framed as the unutterable.

Etymology: from utter, to speak, with the suffix -able. See also utterance, unutterable, phonotactics.