English
In English phonology, consonant length is not distinctive within root words. For instance, 'baggage' is pronounced /ˈbæɡɪdʒ/, not /bæɡːɪdʒ/. Phonetic gemination occurs marginally.
[edit] Estonian
Estonian has three phonemic lengths; however, the third length is a suprasegmental feature, which is as much tonal patterning as a length distinction. It is traceable to allophony caused by now-deleted suffixes, for example half-long linna < *linnan "of the city" vs. overlong linna < *linnahan "to the city".
[edit] Greek
In Ancient Greek, consonant length was distinctive, e.g., μέλω [mélɔː] "I am of interest" vs. μέλλω [mélːɔː] "I am going to".
The distinction has been lost in Standard Modern Greek, except in dialects such as the Cypriot-Greek dialect spoken in Cyprus, in varieties of the Aegean sea and elsewhere.
[edit] Hungarian
In Hungarian, consonant length is distinctive. For example megy means go, while meggy means sour cherry.
[edit] Italian
In Standard Italian, consonant and vowel length are distinctive. For example, "bevve" means "he/she drank", while "beve" means "he/she drinks/is drinking". Tonic syllables are bimoraic and are therefore composed of either a long vowel in an open syllable (beve) or a short vowel in a closed syllable (bevve). Double consonants occur not only within words but at word boundaries, where they are pronounced but not necessarily written: "chi + sa" = "chissà'" (who knows) [kis'sa] and "vado a casa" (I am going home) pronounced [va:do akkaza]. See syntactic doubling.
[edit] Japanese
In Japanese, consonant length is distinctive. For example, 来た(kita) means 'came; arrived', while 切った(kitta) means 'cut; sliced'.
[edit] Latin
In Latin, consonant length was distinctive, e.g., anus "ring" vs. annus "year".
Gemination still occurs in Italian and Catalan, but has been completely lost in French and Spanish.
[edit] Polish
In Polish, consonant length is distinctive. For example,
rodziny – 'of the family'; rodzinny' – adjective of 'family'
Grecy – 'Greeks' (noun); greccy – 'Greek' (adjective) — in fact it is pronounced [grɛt͡st͡sɨ].
[edit] Russian
In Russian, consonant length (indicated with two letters, as in ванна [ˈvannə] 'bathtub') may occur in several situations.
Word formation or conjugation: длина ([ˈdlʲinə] 'length') → длинный ([ˈdlʲinnɨj] 'long')
Phonological alternations:
высший ([ˈvɨʂːɨj] 'highest').[1]
[edit] Wagiman
In Wagiman, an indigenous Australian language, consonant length in stops is the primary phonetic feature that differentiates fortis and lenis stops. Wagiman does not have phonetic voice. Word-initial and word-final stops never contrast for length
In English phonology, consonant length is not distinctive within root words. For instance, 'baggage' is pronounced /ˈbæɡɪdʒ/, not /bæɡːɪdʒ/. Phonetic gemination occurs marginally.
[edit] Estonian
Estonian has three phonemic lengths; however, the third length is a suprasegmental feature, which is as much tonal patterning as a length distinction. It is traceable to allophony caused by now-deleted suffixes, for example half-long linna < *linnan "of the city" vs. overlong linna < *linnahan "to the city".
[edit] Greek
In Ancient Greek, consonant length was distinctive, e.g., μέλω [mélɔː] "I am of interest" vs. μέλλω [mélːɔː] "I am going to".
The distinction has been lost in Standard Modern Greek, except in dialects such as the Cypriot-Greek dialect spoken in Cyprus, in varieties of the Aegean sea and elsewhere.
[edit] Hungarian
In Hungarian, consonant length is distinctive. For example megy means go, while meggy means sour cherry.
[edit] Italian
In Standard Italian, consonant and vowel length are distinctive. For example, "bevve" means "he/she drank", while "beve" means "he/she drinks/is drinking". Tonic syllables are bimoraic and are therefore composed of either a long vowel in an open syllable (beve) or a short vowel in a closed syllable (bevve). Double consonants occur not only within words but at word boundaries, where they are pronounced but not necessarily written: "chi + sa" = "chissà'" (who knows) [kis'sa] and "vado a casa" (I am going home) pronounced [va:do akkaza]. See syntactic doubling.
[edit] Japanese
In Japanese, consonant length is distinctive. For example, 来た(kita) means 'came; arrived', while 切った(kitta) means 'cut; sliced'.
[edit] Latin
In Latin, consonant length was distinctive, e.g., anus "ring" vs. annus "year".
Gemination still occurs in Italian and Catalan, but has been completely lost in French and Spanish.
[edit] Polish
In Polish, consonant length is distinctive. For example,
rodziny – 'of the family'; rodzinny' – adjective of 'family'
Grecy – 'Greeks' (noun); greccy – 'Greek' (adjective) — in fact it is pronounced [grɛt͡st͡sɨ].
[edit] Russian
In Russian, consonant length (indicated with two letters, as in ванна [ˈvannə] 'bathtub') may occur in several situations.
Word formation or conjugation: длина ([ˈdlʲinə] 'length') → длинный ([ˈdlʲinnɨj] 'long')
Phonological alternations:
высший ([ˈvɨʂːɨj] 'highest').[1]
[edit] Wagiman
In Wagiman, an indigenous Australian language, consonant length in stops is the primary phonetic feature that differentiates fortis and lenis stops. Wagiman does not have phonetic voice. Word-initial and word-final stops never contrast for length