Degrees of Voicing
| Voice-onset time |
|---|
| + Aspirated |
| 0 Tenuis |
| − Voiced |
There are two variables to degrees of voicing: intensity (discussed under phonation), and duration (discussed under voice onset time). When a sound is described as "half voiced" or "partially voiced", it is not always clear whether that means that the voicing is weak (low intensity), or if the voicing only occurs during part of the sound (short duration). In the case of English, it is the latter.
Juǀʼhoansi and some of the neighboring languages are typologically unusual in having contrastive partially voiced consonants: They have aspirate and ejective consonants, which are normally incompatible with voicing, in voiceless and voiced pairs. These consonants start out voiced, but become voiceless partway through, allow normal aspiration or ejection. They are and, plus a similar series of clicks.
Read more about this topic: Voice (phonetics)
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