What is a consonant?

A consonant is any speech sound characterized by constriction or closure at one or more points in the breath channel, or a letter or symbol that represents a consonant.

Here are some examples of consonants:

• \p\
• \g\
• \n\
• \l\
• \s\
• \r\

• Concept module: consonant
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): C
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 2 July 1998

© 1999 SIL International