anterior (adj.)

One of the features of sound set up by Chomsky and Halle in their DISTINCTIVE FEATURE theory of PHONOLOGY, to handle variations in PLACE OF ARTICULATION (CAVITY features). Anterior sounds are defined articulatorily as those produced with a stricture in front of the PALATO-ALVEOLAR area in the mouth. LABIAL and DENTAL consonants are [+anterior] (abbreviated as [+ant]). Its opposite is non-anterior, referring to sounds produced without such a stricture, as in VELAR, GLOTTAL and VOWEL sounds, which are [−anterior] ([−ant]). The related noun is anteriority.