What are voiced and unvoiced sounds?

Voiced and unvoiced sounds, also known as voiced and voiceless sounds, are two types of speech sounds in linguistics.

Voiced sounds are produced when the vocal cords vibrate, creating a vibration or buzzing sensation in the throat. Examples of voiced sounds include /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/, /l/, and /m/.

Unvoiced sounds, on the other hand, are produced when the vocal cords are not vibrating. Instead, these sounds are created by the air passing through the mouth and being shaped by the lips, teeth, and tongue. Examples of unvoiced sounds include /p/, /t/, /k/, /s/, /f/, /h/, and /sh/.

In some cases, pairs of sounds are distinguished solely by the presence or absence of voicing. For example, /p/ and /b/ are produced in the same place in the mouth and in the same way, but the only difference between them is that /b/ is voiced and /p/ is unvoiced. The same is true of other pairs, such as /s/ and /z/, /t/ and /d/, and /f/ and /v/.

The distinction between voiced and unvoiced sounds is important in many languages, including English, where it can affect the meaning of words. For example, the words "pat" and "bat" differ only in the presence or absence of voicing on the initial consonant.