= Consonant cluster
A <consonant cluster> is a sequence of multiple <consonants> without an intervening <vowel>, considered within the chosen phonological representation. Its possible position and composition depend on a language's <phonotactics>. The written number of consonant letters is insufficient to identify a spoken cluster.
In an ordinary pronunciation of “stay”, `[st]` forms a <syllable onset> cluster; the final `[ts]` in “cats” forms a <syllable coda> cluster. By contrast, the English spelling `ch` can represent one <affricate>, transcribed `[t͡ʃ]`, rather than two independently combined consonants. This comparison distinguishes spelling, phonetic detail and phonological grouping.<Essentials of Linguistics (2nd edition) by Catherine Anderson and others>[§3.4, affricates; §3.10, onset/coda clusters; §4.2, phonotactic restrictions]{ref} A recording and explicit transcription make the analysis inspectable; rapid articulation need not insert a silence between the cluster's members.
Back to article page
