Sj-sound

The sj-sound (sj-ljudet ) is a voiceless fricative phoneme found in the sound system of most dialects of Swedish. It has a variety of realisations, whose precise phonetic characterisation is a matter of debate, but which usually feature distinct labialization. The sound is represented in Swedish orthography by a number of spellings, including the digraph $⟨sj⟩$ from which the common Swedish name for the sound is derived, as well as $⟨stj⟩$, $⟨skj⟩$, and (before front vowels) $⟨sk⟩$. The sound should not be confused with the Swedish tj-sound, often spelled $⟨tj⟩$, $⟨kj⟩$, or (before front vowels) $⟨k⟩$.

These sounds are transcribed ⟨ɧ⟩ in the International Phonetic Alphabet. The International Phonetic Association (IPA) describes them as "simultaneous and ", but this realization is not attested, and phoneticians doubt that such a realization actually occurs in any language. Other descriptive labels include:
 * Voiceless postalveolo-velar fricative
 * Voiceless palatal-velar fricative
 * Voiceless dorso-palatal velar fricative
 * Voiceless postalveolar and velar fricative
 * Voiceless coarticulated velar and palatoalveolar fricative

The closest sound found in English, as well as many other languages, is the voiceless postalveolar fricative (Swedish words with the sound often correspond to English words with "sh", such as "shield", "shoot"), although usually the closest audible approximation is the voiceless labialized velar approximant  found in some English dialects. Regionally, it varies from being more -like in the standard speech, to being more -like in northern Sweden and Finland. The tj-sound (which often corresponds to English words with "ch", such as "chicken", "church") remains distinct, varying from more -like (i.e., ) in the standard speech to more -like in northern Sweden and Finland.

Features
Features of the sj-sound:


 * Its place of articulation varies by dialect, but usually includes a velar component.

Dialects of Swedish


This sound has been reported in certain dialects of Swedish, where it is most often known as the sj-sound.

Its place of articulation varies over Swedish regions and is not agreed upon. It has been variously found to be the following:
 * velar and postalveolar, meaning it is articulated simultaneously with the tongue dorsum (i.e. the back part of the tongue) approximating the velum (i.e. the soft palate, like ) and just behind the teeth (like ). However, doubly articulated fricatives are very difficult to pronounce or to hear, and many linguists doubt that they exist.
 * Lindblad describes one of two common variants of Swedish as labiodental with simultaneous velarization and protrusion of the upper lip, which would be transcribed as . (The English sigh of relief phew! is one approximation, as is the voiceless labial-velar approximant that is used in some varieties of English.) He does not use the symbol ⟨ɧ⟩ for this allophone.
 * Lindblad describes the second common variant of Swedish as velar. The difference between it and the cardinal velar  is not clear, but it may have less friction, or be further forward , or both.
 * Riad notes that the basic dorsal place of assimilation can be determined by the place of assimilation of a preceding nasal, with en skjorta 'a shirt', for example, being pronounced . He notes a labialized allophone.
 * A number of intermediate possibilities between these extremes.
 * Other articulations have been described as well, with no obvious standard emerging.

Consider the following comments by Peter Ladefoged and Ian Maddieson:

Kölsch
A sound transcribed with ⟨ɧ⟩ is also reported to occur in the Kölsch variety of Ripuarian in Germany, being articulated in positions in words that enveloping Standard German has.

The acoustic difference between and the Kölsch  is difficult to perceive but the articulation is clearly distinct. Whether or not there is a relation between Swedish and the Kölsch  is not known. While none seems to have been established, comments suggest that the choice of ⟨ɧ⟩ might well have been based upon a misunderstanding. Certainly, the Kölsch is not doubly articulated and even contrasts with a slightly velarized.

Some phoneticians suggest that ⟨ɕ⟩ is a better symbol for this sound, but this is not established practice, and may need further research.

Himalayan languages
A sound transcribed with ⟨ɧ⟩ is also reported word-initially and word-medially in the Wutun language, where it has been described as a dorso-palatal/velar glide. The symbol is also used in describing a sound in the Bahing language of Nepal.