How Do You Spell PALATAL?

Pronunciation: [pˈalatə͡l] (IPA)

Palatal is a word that refers to sounds produced near the hard palate, the roof of the mouth. In IPA phonetic transcription, the 'p' and 'l' sounds are straightforward to spell. However, the 'a' sound in palatal is spelled with the phonetic symbol /æ/, which is pronounced as a short 'a' sound like in the word 'cat'. The 't' sound at the end of palatal is not pronounced, so it's a silent letter. Therefore, the correct IPA transcription for palatal is /pəˈleɪtəl/.

PALATAL Meaning and Definition

  1. Adjective: Palatal

    1. Relating to the palate, which refers to the roof of the mouth. The palate separates the oral and nasal cavities and is responsible for various functions, including speech production and the sense of taste.

    2. In linguistics, palatal refers to sounds produced by the raising of the middle section of the tongue against the hard palate (the front part of the roof of the mouth). These sounds are characterized by the contact or near-contact between the body of the tongue and the hard palate.

    3. Pertaining to the area of the mouth behind the front teeth and in front of the soft palate, including the hard palate. For example, the palatal region is sometimes divided into two sub-regions: the anterior palatal region, closer to the front teeth, and the posterior palatal region, closer to the soft palate.

    4. In dentistry, relating to dental treatments or appliances that are attached to the roof of the mouth, especially the upper teeth. Palatal expanders, for instance, are orthodontic devices that widen the upper jaw to correct dental and skeletal issues.

    5. Referring to the taste sensation of the palate. This usage highlights the sense of taste, particularly for certain flavors or foods that are experienced on or affect the palate.

    Overall, the term "palatal" encompasses various meanings related to the palate's anatomy, linguistics, dentistry, and the sense of taste.

  2. Relating to the palate or the palate bone.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

  3. • Uttered or formed by aid of the palate.
    • A letter pronounced by the aid of the palate.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for PALATAL

Etymology of PALATAL

The word "palatal" has its origin in the Latin term "palatum", which means "roof of the mouth" or "palate". In English, the term was initially used to refer to the sounds made with the tongue against the hard palate (the front part of the roof of the mouth), specifically the "y" sound in "yes" and the "ch" sound in "cheap". Over time, the word "palatal" came to have broader meanings, encompassing various sounds or linguistic features related to the palate.

Similar spelling words for PALATAL

Plural form of PALATAL is PALATALS

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