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K phoneme /k/
/k/ is a consonant phoneme that occurs in English and is 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 K phoneme after the letter K, or kuh after its sound when initial.
Classification[edit | edit source]
Representation[edit | edit source]
In phonemic notation using the International Phonetic Alphabet, the K phoneme is represented by lowercase K, ⟨k⟩ as its IPA symbol. This has the IPA number 103. In SAMPA and X-SAMPA, k is also used. In IPA Braille, ⠅ (13) is used, which is also used for letter K in standard Braille.
Phonotactics[edit | edit source]
In English phonotactics
/k/ forms part of consonant clusters. Initial consonant clusters include...
- Initial consonant cluster /kl/
- Initial consonant cluster /kr/
- Initial consonant cluster /kw/
- Initial consonant cluster /sk/
- Initial consonant cluster /skr/
- Initial consonant cluster /skw/
Final consonant clusters include...
- Final consonant cluster /k(s)θ/
- Final consonant cluster /ks/
- Final consonant cluster /kst/
- Final consonant cluster /ksts/
- Final consonant cluster /kt/
- Final consonant cluster /kts/
- Final consonant cluster /sk/
- Final consonant cluster /sks/
- Final consonant cluster /skt/
- Final consonant cluster /ŋ(k)θ/
- Final consonant cluster /ŋd/
- Final consonant cluster /ŋkt/
- Final consonant cluster /ŋkθs/
Pronunciation[edit | edit source]
Standard pronunciation of this phoneme is as an aspirated voiceless velar plosive [kʰ]. In initial consonant cluster /sk/, it mutates to a voiced velar plosive, so /sk/ is pronounced [sg].
Spelling[edit | edit source]
Spelling is either ⟨c⟩, ⟨k⟩, ⟨ck⟩, ⟨ch⟩ or ⟨kh⟩.
Also, ⟨x⟩ as /ks/ or /kʃ/, and ⟨qu⟩ as /k/ (quiche, quey), /kw/, and ⟨que⟩ and ⟨cqu⟩ as /k/. What a mess!
And ⟨cc⟩ soccer.
| Phonogram | Example words | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ⟨c⟩ | cock | |
| ⟨k⟩ | kick | |
| ⟨ck⟩ | cock | |
| ⟨k⟩ | kick | |
| ⟨cc⟩ | occur, soccer | |
| ⟨ch⟩ | anchor, arachnid, architecture, archive, chaos, character, charisma, chemical, chemistry, choir, Christ, Christian, Christmas, Christopher, chrome, echo, headache, mechanism, Michael, Munich, oche, orchestra, psychology, stomach, technique, technology | Mainly derived from Ancient Greek. |
| ⟨ch⟩, often phoneme /x/ | Bach, loch | |
| ⟨kh⟩ | astrakhan, Gurkha, gymkhana, Kazakhstan, Khartoum, khaki, khan, Khan, khat, Khruschev, khazi, khedive, sheikh, Sikh | |
| ⟨qu⟩ as /k/ | quay, quiche | |
| ⟨qu⟩ as /kw/ | quack, queen, queer, quick, | |
| ⟨que⟩ | Kafkaesque | |
| ⟨k⟩ | lock | |
| ⟨cqu⟩ as /kw/ | acquainted, acquire, acquiesce, lacquer | |
| ⟨x⟩ as /ks/ | fax | |
| ⟨xe⟩ as /ks/ | axe | |
| ⟨xx⟩ as /ks/ | anti‑vaxxer, doxxing | |
| ⟨x⟩ as /kʃ/ | anxious, complexion, crucifixion, fluxion, flexure, infixion, luxury, obnoxious, sexual, transfixion | |
| ⟨q⟩ as /k/ | Iraq, Qatar, |
