What is a continuant?

Definition
	A continuant is a sound produced with an incomplete closure of the vocal tract.

Discussion
	All vowels and fricatives are continuants.

Antonym
	The antonym of a continuant is
	stop.

Source
	Crystal 1991:80

Concept module: continuant
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004