How these sounds differ
d̪
Voiced Alveolar Stop
- Voicing
- voiced
- Place
- alveolar
- Manner
- stop
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 81 / 500
t
Voiceless Alveolar Stop
- Voicing
- voiceless
- Place
- alveolar
- Manner
- stop
- Class
- consonant
- In languages
- 308 / 500
Cross-linguistic distribution
81
Languages with d̪
11
Languages with both
308
Languages with t
11 languages in our database contrast both sounds as distinct phonemes. Languages that have one but not the other tend to merge them into a single phoneme — meaning speakers of those languages often struggle to hear the distinction when learning a language that contrasts them.
Has d̪, not t (20)
KIOWA
Kiowa-Tanoan
KURDISH
Indo-European
Konkani
Indo-European
MIXE
Mixe-Zoque
ACOMA
Keresan
MORO
Heibanic
Moroccan Arabic
Afro-Asiatic
Kharia
Austroasiatic
IK
Kuliak
Kunama
Language isolate
WEST MAKIAN
North Halmahera
BEJA
Afro-Asiatic
Koya
Dravidian
RUKAI
Austronesian
Logbara
Central Sudanic
Bats
Nakh-Daghestanian
NIMBORAN
Nimboranic
Brahui
Dravidian
Nara
Language isolate
HADZA
Language isolate
Has t, not d̪ (20)
Toba-Batak
Austronesian
Karok
Language isolate
Central Arrernte
Pama-Nyungan
SIERRA MIWOK
Miwok-Costanoan
Luvale
Atlantic-Congo
Chacobo
Pano-Tacanan
SALIBA
Saliban
Darkhat
Mongolic-Khitan
Maasai
Nilotic
MAXAKALI
Nuclear-Macro-Je
Totonac
Totonacan
Pashto
Indo-European
Min Dong Chinese
Sino-Tibetan
Kabardian
Abkhaz-Adyge
Guambiano
Barbacoan
Zoque
Mixe-Zoque
IWAM
Sepik
Gbeya
Atlantic-Congo
GWARI
Atlantic-Congo
Navaho
Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit