lax (adj.)

One of the features of sound set up by Jakobson and Halle in their DISTINCTIVE FEATURE theory of PHONOLOGY, to handle variations in MANNER OF ARTICULATION. Lax sounds are those produced with less muscular effort and movement, and which are relatively short and indistinct, compared to tense sounds. Examples are VOWELS articulated nearer the CENTRE of the vowel area (as in bit, put).