alveopalatal, alveo-palatal (adj.)

A term used in the PHONETIC classification of speech sounds on the basis of their PLACE OF ARTICULATION: it refers to a sound made by the FRONT of the TONGUE a little in advance of the PALATAL articulatory area, i.e. in the direction of ALVEOLAR articulations; also called alveolo-palatal. Only two such sounds are distinguished in the INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET, the FRICATIVES  and  , which occur for example in Polish.