occlusives

Occlusives are a category of speech sounds produced by completely blocking the airflow in the mouth at some point, creating a build-up of pressure, and then releasing it suddenly. Examples include the sounds /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, and /g/. These sounds are characterized by a momentary stop or closure of the vocal tract, which distinguishes them from other sounds that allow continuous airflow. Occlusives are fundamental in speech because they help form many words and are key to speech clarity and intelligibility. Their production involves precise coordination of articulatory movements, making them important in phonetics and language studies.