Click Consonants, A Unique Feature of Human Language (1)

Unusual sounds incorporated in languages 

Click consonants are a fascinating and rare feature of human language, found primarily in some languages of southern Africa. How are these unusual sounds incorporated in languages?

These unique sounds, often described as “clicks,” are produced by creating a suction mechanism in the mouth and releasing it. Think of the clicking sound you might make to call a horse or express disapproval. These are similar to how click consonants work, though they are more complex in linguistic usage.

Where Are Click Consonants Found?

Click consonants are most commonly found in Khoisan languages. Mostly spoken by the indigenous Khoisan peoples of southern Africa. Some neighboring Bantu languages, like Zulu and Xhosa, have also adopted clicks due to contact with Khoisan languages. Outside Africa, only one known case exists: Damin, a ceremonial language once used by the Lardil people in Australia, also incorporated clicks.
However, other countries do use clicks as well in some instances. (But these are not true phonemic clicks.)

How Are Clicks Produced? How to make click sounds.

Clicks are made by two closures in the mouth:

1. Front closure: Made with the tongue at the teeth, gums, or palate.
2. Back closure: Made by sealing the back of the tongue against the roof of the mouth.

When the tongue is pulled away from the front closure, it creates a vacuum-like suction. The release of this closure produces the distinct clicking sound.

Types of Click Consonants.

There are several types of click sounds, depending on where the front closure is made:

• Dental clicks (|): Like the “tsk-tsk” sound used to show disapproval.
• Lateral clicks (ǁ): Like the clucking sound used to encourage a horse.
• Alveolar clicks (ǃ): Made by popping the tongue off the roof of the mouth.
• Palatal clicks (ǂ): A softer sound made further back in the mouth.
• Labial clicks (ʘ): Produced by pressing the lips together, like a kiss sound.

Why Are Clicks So Unique? Each of these clicks can combine with other sounds, like nasalization or voicing, to create a wide variety of click consonants.

In conclusion

Click consonants are unique because they challenge what many people think is possible in speech. For speakers of non-click languages, clicks seem exotic and difficult, but for speakers of languages like Xhosa or Khoekhoe, they’re just another natural part of communication. Clicks also highlight the incredible diversity of human speech and the creative ways humans have developed to use their voices.

Click consonants remind us how remarkable and diverse human languages can be.