Which term describes a speech sound consisting of a stop and a fricative articulated at the same place of articulation?

Which term describes a speech sound consisting of a stop and a fricative articulated at the same place of articulation?

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

Answer: (A)

An affricate is a sound that starts with a complete closure like a stop and then releases into a narrow constriction that creates friction, all at the same place of articulation. This means you get a quick, combined gesture: a stopping moment followed by a fricative release, produced as one sound. Examples in many languages are the “ch” sound in church and the “j” sound in judge, which are voiceless and voiced postalveolar affricates, respectively.

This differs from a pure fricative, which has continuous friction without a preceding complete closure; from a stop, which has a closure but no fricative release; and from a nasal, which uses airflow through the nasal passage.