Plossig

A "plossig" is a rare term used in phonetics to describe a voiceless unaspirated stop consonant. The term is primarily encountered in older or more specialized phonetic literature. The more common and widely accepted term for this type of sound is "tenuis stop" or simply "voiceless unaspirated stop."

The key characteristics of a plossig/tenuis stop are:

• Voiceless: The vocal cords do not vibrate during the articulation of the consonant.
• Unaspirated: There is a minimal or absent puff of air (aspiration) following the release of the consonant. This distinguishes it from aspirated stops, which have a noticeable burst of air.
• Stop: The airflow is completely blocked at some point in the vocal tract, followed by a sudden release.

The use of "plossig" is largely historical, and "tenuis stop" is the preferred term in modern phonetic analysis.