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B phoneme /b/
The B phoneme /b/ is a consonant phoneme that’s one of the standard English phonemes.[1]
Naming[edit | edit source]
Naming this phoneme, like other consonant phonemes, is somewhat difficult. It could be called the B phoneme after the letter B, or buh after its sound when initial. It occurs twice in words like barb, bib, bob, etc.
Classification[edit | edit source]
This can be classified as Consonant phoneme > Plosive phoneme > Bilabial plosive phoneme.
Representation[edit | edit source]
In phonemic notation using the International Phonetic Alphabet, the B phoneme is represented by lowercase B, ⟨b⟩ as its IPA symbol. This has the IPA number 102. In SAMPA and X-SAMPA, b is also used. In IPA Braille, ⠃ (12) is used, which is also used for letter B in standard Braille.
Phonotactics[edit | edit source]
It forms two main initial consonant clusters; initial consonant cluster /bl/ and initial consonant cluster /br/. It also forms a final consonant cluster, final consonant cluster /bd/ and final consonant cluster /bz/.
Pronunciation[edit | edit source]
The standard pronunciation of /b/ is as an unaspirated voiced bilabial plosive [b]. It also has an allophone, voiced bilabial implosive [ɓ].
Spelling[edit | edit source]
/b/ is spelt as ⟨b⟩, ⟨bb⟩, ⟨bu⟩ or occasionally ⟨bh⟩.
| Phonogram | Example words | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ⟨b⟩ | ban, Ben, bib, bin, bob, bun, knob, rub, table, warble, | |
| ⟨bb⟩ | ebb, jabber, jobbing, scrabble, | |
| ⟨bu⟩ | build, building, built, buoy, buoyancy | |
| ⟨bh⟩ | bheestie, bhuna, bhakti/bhakta, bhut, Bhutan, bharal, bhangra, sambhar, bhangs |
