noun
- The phonological process by which a labial consonant (one articulated with the lips) loses its labial quality and becomes a non-labial sound.
Usage: linguistics; phonology
Examples
- In some dialects, delabialization of the /w/ sound results in a glide that lacks lip rounding.
- The historical delabialization of certain consonants can be traced through comparative language analysis.
- Linguists study delabialization as part of sound change patterns across language families.
- Delabialization may occur when speakers reduce articulatory effort in rapid speech.
- The process of delabialization is the opposite of labialization, where sounds acquire lip rounding.