Tongue shape

In linguistics, specifically articulatory phonetics, tongue shape describes the shape that the tongue assumes when it makes a sound.

Because the sibilant sounds have such a high perceptual prominence, tongue shape is particularly important; small changes in tongue shape are easily audible and can be used to produce different speech sounds, even within a given language.

In addition, the acoustic quality of velarization and pharyngealization is very similar so no language contrasts the two.

Palatalization is an inherent part of the definition of the above varieties and cannot normally be varied independently.

Shaded areas denote articulations judged impossible.