Tenuis mater is a Latin phrase that translates to "thin mother" in English. In the field of linguistics, specifically phonetics and phonology, it refers to a type of consonant sound that is characterized by its lack of voicing or vocal cord vibration during its production. The term is primarily used in studies of the Indo-European languages, particularly in the description of Ancient Greek and Sanskrit phonetics.
The tenuis mater stands in contrast to the "media mater" and "aspirated mater" which are the voiced and aspirated counterparts, respectively. Phonetically, this means that when a tenuis mater sound is produced, such as the voiceless stops /p/, /t/, and /k/, no vibration of the vocal cords is involved. This produces a distinct and sharp sound for these consonants.
Tenuis mater sounds can be found in many languages worldwide, although their specific phonetic realization may vary. For example, in English, the voiceless stops /p/, /t/, and /k/ are considered tenuis mater sounds. However, languages like Spanish and Arabic, for instance, have these sounds as well, but with slight variations in their pronunciation.
In summary, tenuis mater refers to a specific group of consonant sounds that are voiceless and produced without vocal cord vibration. It is a term frequently used in linguistic research and analysis, specifically concerning the phonetics and phonology of various languages, with particular emphasis on Indo-European languages.
