Which term is illustrated by the sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ in 'chair' and 'joy'?

Which term is illustrated by the sounds /tʃ/ and /dʒ/ in 'chair' and 'joy'?

• A. Affricative
• B. Fricative
• C. Plosive
• D. Nasal

Answer: (A)

These sounds are examples of affricates—consonants that start with a brief stop closure and then release into a fricative. In chair, the /tʃ/ sound begins with a quick halt of airflow and releases into a hissing fricative, and in joy, the /dʒ/ does the same with voicing. The two-stage articulation is what defines an affricate, distinguishing it from plain fricatives (which have continuous friction without a preceding stop), plosives (a burst after a complete stop with no friction), and nasals (air flowing through the nose). So the best term for these sounds is affricate.

These sounds are examples of affricates—consonants that start with a brief stop closure and then release into a fricative. In chair, the /tʃ/ sound begins with a quick halt of airflow and releases into a hissing fricative, and in joy, the /dʒ/ does the same with voicing. The two-stage articulation is what defines an affricate, distinguishing it from plain fricatives (which have continuous friction without a preceding stop), plosives (a burst after a complete stop with no friction), and nasals (air flowing through the nose). So the best term for these sounds is affricate.