The word "frication" refers to the act or process of rubbing two things together. In phonetics, it specifically refers to the consonant sound made by rubbing two articulators together, such as the lips and teeth or the tongue and roof of the mouth. The spelling of "frication" is derived from the Latin word "fricare," meaning "to rub." In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is spelled /fɹɪˈkeɪʃən/, with the emphasis on the second syllable and the "c" representing the "sh" sound made by the fricative consonant.
Frication refers to the act or process of rubbing or scraping two objects or surfaces together. Derived from the Latin word "fricare," meaning "to rub," frication describes the frictional force generated when two bodies come in contact and slide, grind, or interact with each other.
In physics, frication is often expressed as the resistance encountered when one surface moves against another, resulting in the conversion of kinetic energy into heat. This heat generation is due to the energy dissipation caused by the interaction between the microscopic irregularities present on the two surfaces. Frication is essential in numerous mechanical systems, such as gears, engines, and brakes, where it can either facilitate movement or provide control, depending on the desired outcome.
In linguistics, frication refers to the production of audible sounds through the friction caused by the narrowing or partial constriction of the speech organs (including lips, teeth, and tongue) during the articulation of certain consonant sounds. Sounds like "f," "v," "s," and "sh" are produced by creating frication within the mouth, resulting in distinctive phonetic elements in human speech.
Overall, frication encompasses both the physical and acoustic phenomena associated with the rubbing or scraping of objects, whether it pertains to the interaction of solid bodies or the production of speech sounds.
The word "frication" has its origins in Latin, specifically from the verb "fricare", which means "to rub". The Latin word was later borrowed into the French language as "frication", and eventually entered English as a borrowed term. In both French and English, "frication" maintains its core meaning of the act of rubbing or the production of friction.