American English Phonetics

Another American English Faculty Project

Like other lenis obstruents, affricates are subject to initial and final devoicing.

Devoicing is usually partial in the sense that either the stop or the fricative is devoiced depending on which of these is adjacent to the voiceless segment, or to silence. We would therefore expect [d̥ʒ] and [d̥ɹ] in (Dutch) gin and (bass) drum, and [dʒ̥] in wage (claims).

Dutch gin

bass drum

wage claims

Fortis /t͡ʃ/ and /tr/ are completely voiceless.