# Voiced palatal approximant

The voiced palatal approximant is a type of consonant used in many spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨j⟩. The equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is j, and in the Americanist phonetic notation it is ⟨y⟩. Because the English name of the letter J, jay, starts with [dʒ] (voiced postalveolar affricate), the approximant is sometimes instead called yod, as in the phonological history terms yod-dropping and yod-coalescence.
The palatal approximant can often be considered the semivocalic equivalent of the close front unrounded vowel [i]. They alternate with each other in certain languages, such as French, and in the diphthongs of some languages as ⟨j⟩ and ⟨i̯⟩, with the non-syllabic diacritic used in different phonetic transcription systems to represent the same sound.
A voiced alveolo-palatal approximant is attested as phonemic in the Huastec language, and is represented as an advanced voiced palatal approximant ⟨j̟⟩, or the plus sign may be placed after the letter, ⟨j˖⟩.

## Phonetic ambiguity and transcription usage

Some languages, however, have a palatal approximant that is unspecified for rounding and so cannot be considered the semivocalic equivalent of either [i] or its rounded counterpart, [y], which would normally correspond to [ɥ]. An example is Spanish, which distinguishes two palatal approximants: an approximant semivowel [j], which is always unrounded (and is a phonological vowel - an allophone of /i/), and an approximant consonant unspecified for rounding, [ʝ̞] (which is a phonological consonant). Eugenio Martínez Celdrán describes the difference between them as follows (with audio examples added):
   [j] is shorter and is usually a merely transitory sound. It can only exist together with a full vowel and does not appear in syllable onset. [On the other hand,] [ʝ̞] has a lower amplitude, mainly in F2. It can only appear in syllable onset. It is not noisy either articulatorily or perceptually. [ʝ̞] can vary towards [ʝ] in emphatic pronunciations, having noise (turbulent airstream). (...)
   There is a further argument through which we can establish a clear difference between [j] and [ʝ̞]: the first sound cannot be rounded, not even through co-articulation, whereas the second one is rounded before back vowels or the back semi-vowel. Thus, in words like viuda 'widow', Dios 'God', vio 's/he saw', etc., the semi-vowel [j] is unrounded; if it were rounded, a sound that does not exist in Spanish, [ɥ], would appear. On the other hand, [ʝ̞] is unspecified as far as rounding is concerned and it is assimilated to the labial vowel context: rounded with rounded vowels, e.g. ayuda 'help', coyote 'coyote', hoyuelo 'dimple', etc., and unrounded with unrounded vowels: payaso 'clown', ayer 'yesterday'.
He also considers that "the IPA shows a lack of precision in the treatment it gives to approximants, if we take into account our understanding of the phonetics of Spanish. [ʝ̞] and [j] are two different segments, but they have to be labelled as voiced palatal approximant consonants. I think that the former is a real consonant, whereas the latter is a semi-consonant, as it has traditionally been called in Spanish, or a semi-vowel, if preferred. The IPA, though, classifies it as a consonant."
There is a parallel problem with transcribing the voiced velar approximant.
The symbol ⟨ʝ̞⟩ may not display properly in all browsers. In that case, ⟨ʝ˕⟩ should be substituted.
In the writing systems used for most languages in Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, the letter j denotes the palatal approximant, as in German Jahr 'year', which is followed by IPA. Although it may be seen as counterintuitive for English-speakers, there are a few words with that orthographical spelling in certain loanwords in English like Hebrew "hallelujah" and German "Jägermeister".
In grammars of Ancient Greek, the palatal approximant, which was lost early in the history of Greek, is sometimes written as ⟨ι̯⟩, an iota with the inverted breve below, which is the nonsyllabic diacritic or marker of a semivowel.
There is also the post-palatal approximant in some languages, which is articulated slightly more back than the place of articulation of the prototypical palatal approximant but less far back than the prototypical velar approximant. It can be considered the semivocalic equivalent of the close central unrounded vowel [ɨ]The International Phonetic Alphabet does not have a separate symbol for that sound, but it can be transcribed as ⟨j̠⟩, ⟨j˗⟩ (both symbols denote a retracted ⟨j⟩), ⟨ɰ̟⟩ or ⟨ɰ˖⟩ (both symbols denote an advanced ⟨ɰ⟩). The equivalent X-SAMPA symbols are j_- and M\_+, respectively. Other possible transcriptions include a centralized ⟨j⟩ (⟨j̈⟩ in the IPA, j_" in X-SAMPA), a centralized ⟨ɰ⟩ (⟨ɰ̈⟩ in the IPA, M\_" in X-SAMPA) and a non-syllabic ⟨ɨ⟩ (⟨ɨ̯⟩ in the IPA, 1_^ in X-SAMPA).
For the reasons mentioned above and in the article velar approximant, none of those symbols are appropriate for languages such as Spanish, whose post-palatal approximant consonant (not a semivowel) appears as an allophone of /ɡ/ before front vowels and is best transcribed ⟨ʝ̞˗⟩, ⟨ʝ˕˗⟩ (both symbols denote a lowered and retracted ⟨ʝ⟩), ⟨ɣ̞˖⟩ or ⟨ɣ˕˖⟩ (both symbols denote a lowered and advanced ⟨ɣ⟩). The equivalent X-SAMPA symbols are j\_o_- and G_o_+.
Especially in broad transcription, the post-palatal approximant may be transcribed as a palatalized velar approximant (⟨ɰʲ⟩, ⟨ɣ̞ʲ⟩ or ⟨ɣ˕ʲ⟩ in the IPA, M\', M\_j, G'_o or G_o_j in X-SAMPA).
A voiced alveolar-palatal approximant is attested as phonemic in the Huastec language.

## Features

Features of the voiced palatal approximant:
* Its manner of articulation is approximant, which means it is produced by narrowing the vocal tract at the place of articulation, but not enough to produce a turbulent airstream. The most common type of this approximant is glide or semivowel. The term glide emphasizes the characteristic of movement (or 'glide') of [j] from the [i] vowel position to a following vowel position. The term semivowel emphasizes that, although the sound is vocalic in nature, it is not 'syllabic' (it does not form the nucleus of a syllable). For a description of the approximant consonant variant used e.g. in Spanish, see above.
* Its place of articulation is palatal, which means it is articulated with the middle or back part of the tongue raised to the hard palate. The otherwise identical post-palatal variant is articulated slightly behind the hard palate, making it sound slightly closer to the velar [ɰ].
* Its phonation is voiced, which means the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.
* It is an oral consonant, which means air is allowed to escape through the mouth only.
* It is a central consonant, which means it is produced by directing the airstream along the center of the tongue, rather than to the sides.
* Its airstream mechanism is pulmonic, which means it is articulated by pushing air solely with the intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles, as in most sounds.

## Occurrence
### Palatal

| Language | Language | Word | IPA | Meaning | Notes |
| Adyghe | Adyghe | ятӀэ/yat'a | | 'dirt' | |
| Afrikaans | Afrikaans | ja | [jɑː] | 'yes' | See Afrikaans phonology |
| Arabic | Standard | يوم/yawm | [jawm] | 'day' | See Arabic phonology |
| Aragonese | Aragonese | caye | [ˈkaʝ̞e̞] | 'falls' | Unspecified for rounding approximant consonant; the language also features an unrounded palatal approximant semivowel (which may replace /ʝ̞/ before /e/). |
| Armenian | Eastern | յուղ/yuq | [juʁ] | 'fat' | |
| Assamese | Assamese | মানৱীয়তা/manowiyota | [manɔwijɔta] | 'humanity' | |
| Assyrian | Assyrian | ܝܡܐ yama | [jaːma] | 'sea' | |
| Azerbaijani | Azerbaijani | yuxu | [juχu] | 'dream' | |
| Basque | Basque | bai | [baj] | 'yes' | |
| Bengali | Bengali | নয়ন/noyon | [nɔjon] | 'eye' | See Bengali phonology |
| Bulgarian | Bulgarian | майка / majka | [ˈmajkɐ] | 'mother' | See Bulgarian phonology |
| Catalan | All dialects | feia | [ˈfejɐ] | 'I did' | See Catalan phonology |
| Catalan | Some dialects | jo | [ˈjɔ] | 'I' | See Catalan phonology |
| Chechen | Chechen | ялх / yalx | [jalx] | 'six' | |
| Chinese | Cantonese | 日 / jat9 | [jɐt˨ʔ] | 'day' | See Cantonese phonology |
| Chinese | Mandarin | 鸭 (鴨) / yā | [ja˥] | 'duck' | See Mandarin phonology |
| Chuvash | Chuvash | йывăç/yıvëş | [jɯʋəɕ̬] | 'tree' | |
| Czech | Czech | je | [jɛ] | 'is' | See Czech phonology |
| Danish | Danish | jeg | [jɑ] | 'I' | See Danish phonology |
| Dutch | Standard | ja | [jaː] | 'yes' | Frequently realized as a fricative [ʝ], especially in emphatic speech. See Dutch phonology |
| English | English | you | [juː] | 'you' | See English phonology |
| Esperanto | Esperanto | jaro | [jaro] | 'year' | See Esperanto phonology |
| Estonian | Estonian | jalg | [ˈjɑlɡ] | 'leg' | See Estonian phonology |
| Finnish | Finnish | jalka | [ˈjɑlkɑ] | 'leg' | See Finnish phonology |
| French | French | yeux | [jø] | 'eyes' | See French phonology |
| German | Standard | Jacke | [ˈjäkə] | 'jacket' | Also described as a fricative [ʝ] and a sound variable between a fricative and an approximant. See Standard German phonology |
| Greek | Ancient Greek | εἴη/éiē | [ějːɛː] | 's/he shall come' | See Ancient Greek phonology |
| Hebrew | Hebrew | ילד/yeled | [ˈjeled] | 'kid' | See Modern Hebrew phonology |
| Hindustani | Hindustani | यान / یان/yán | [jäːn] | 'vehicle' | See Hindustani phonology |
| Hungarian | Hungarian | játék | [jaːteːk] | 'game' | See Hungarian phonology |
| Irish | Irish | ghearrfadh | [ˈjɑːɾˠhəx] | 'would cut' | See Irish phonology |
| Ingush | Ingush | ялат / jalat | ['jalat] | 'grain' | See Ingush phonology |
| Italian | Italian | ione | [ˈjoːne] | 'ion' | See Italian phonology |
| Jalapa Mazatec | Jalapa Mazatec | | | | Contrasts voiceless /j̊/, plain voiced /j/ and glottalized voiced /ȷ̃/ approximants. |
| Japanese | Japanese | 焼く / yaku | [jaku͍] | 'to bake' | See Japanese phonology |
| Kabardian | Kabardian | йи/yi | [ji] | 'game' | |
| Kazakh | Kazakh | Яғни/yağni | [jaʁni] | 'so' | |
| Khmer | Khmer | យំ / yom | [jom] | 'to cry' | See Khmer phonology |
| Korean | Korean | 여섯 / yeoseot | [jʌsʌt̚] | 'six' | See Korean phonology |
| Latin | Latin | iacere | [ˈjakɛrɛ] | 'to throw' | See Latin spelling and pronunciation |
| Lithuanian | Lithuanian | ji | [jɪ] | 'she' | Also described as a fricative [ʝ]. See Lithuanian phonology |
| Macedonian | Macedonian | крај/kraj | [kraj] | 'end' | See Macedonian phonology |
| Malay | Malay | sayang | [sajaŋ] | 'love' | |
| Maltese | Maltese | jiekol | [jɪɛkol] | 'he eats' | |
| Mapudungun | Mapudungun | kayu | [kɜˈjʊ] | 'six' | May be a fricative [ʝ] instead. |
| Marathi | Marathi | यश/yaš | [jəʃ] | 'success' | |
| Nepali | Nepali | याम/yam | [jäm] | 'season' | See Nepali phonology |
| Norwegian | Urban East | gi | [jiː] | 'to give' | May be a fricative [ʝ] instead. See Norwegian phonology |
| Odia | Odia | ସମୟ/samaya | [sɔmɔjɔ] | 'time' | |
| Persian | Persian | یزد/Yäzd | [jæzd] | 'Yazd' | See Persian phonology |
| Polish | Polish | jutro | | 'tomorrow' | See Polish phonology |
| Portuguese | Portuguese | boia | [ˈbɔjɐ] | 'buoy', 'float' | Allophone of both /i/ and /ʎ/, as well as a very common epenthetic sound before coda sibilants in some dialects. See Portuguese phonology |
| Punjabi | Punjabi | ਯਾਰ/yár | [jäːɾ] | 'friend' | |
| Romanian | Romanian | iar | [jar] | 'again' | See Romanian phonology |
| Russian | Russian | яма/jama | [ˈjämə] | 'pit' | See Russian phonology |
| Serbo-Croatian | Serbo-Croatian | југ / jug | [jûɡ] | 'South' | See Serbo-Croatian phonology |
| Slovak | Slovak | jesť | [jɛ̝sc] | 'to eat' | See Slovak phonology |
| Slovene | Slovene | jaz | [ˈjʌ̂s̪] | 'I' | |
| Spanish | Spanish | ayer | | 'yesterday' | Unspecified for rounding approximant consonant; the language also features an unrounded palatal approximant semivowel. See Spanish phonology |
| Swedish | Swedish | jag | [ˈjɑːɡ] | 'I' | May be realized as a palatal fricative [ʝ] instead. See Swedish phonology |
| Tagalog | Tagalog | maya | [ˈmajɐ] | 'sparrow' | |
| Tamil | Tamil | யானை/yanai | [ˈjaːnaɪ] | 'elephant' | |
| Telugu | Telugu | యాతన/yatana | [jaːtana] | 'agony' |
| Turkish | Turkish | yol | [jo̞ɫ̪] | 'way' | See Turkish phonology |
| Turkmen | Turkmen | ýüpek | [jypek] | 'silk' | |
| Ubykh | Ubykh | ајәушқӏa/ajëwšq'a | [ajəwʃqʼa] | 'you did it' | See Ubykh phonology |
| Ukrainian | Ukrainian | їжак / ïžak | [jiˈʒɑk] | 'hedgehog' | See Ukrainian phonology |
| Vietnamese | Southern dialects | de | [jɛ] | 'cinnamon' | Corresponds to northern /z/. See Vietnamese phonology |
| Washo | Washo | dayáʔ | [daˈjaʔ] | 'leaf' | Contrasts voiceless /j̊/ and voiced /j/ approximants. |
| Welsh | Welsh | iaith | [jai̯θ] | 'language' | See Welsh phonology |
| West Frisian | West Frisian | jas | [jɔs] | 'coat' | See West Frisian phonology |
| Zapotec | Tilquiapan | yan | [jaŋ] | 'neck' | |

### Post-palatal

| Language | Language | Word | IPA | Meaning | Notes |
| Spanish | Spanish | seguir | | 'to follow' | Lenited allophone of /ɡ/ before front vowels; typically transcribed in IPA with ⟨ɣ⟩. See Spanish phonology |
| Turkish | Standard prescriptive | düğün | [ˈd̪y̠ȷ̈y̠n̪] | 'wedding' | Either post-palatal or palatal; phonetic realization of /ɣ/ (also transcribed as /ɰ/) before front vowels. See Turkish phonology |