What is lenis?

Lenis describes sounds made with a relatively weak degree of muscular effort and breath force (Crystal 1992).

Typically, voiced sounds are lenis.

• What is fortis?

• Concept module: lenis
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): L
• 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: 29 March 1996

© 1999 SIL International