voice-onset time (VOT)

A term used in PHONETICS, referring to the point in time at which VOCAL-FOLD vibration starts, in relation to the release of a CLOSURE. In a fully VOICED PLOSIVE, for example, the vocal folds vibrate throughout; in a voiceless unaspirated plosive, there is a delay (or LAG) before voicing starts; in a voiceless aspirated plosive, the delay is much longer, depending on the amount of ASPIRATION. The amount of the delay, in relation to the types of plosive, varies from language to language.