Voice onset time (VOT) is specifically used to measure which group of consonant sounds?

Voice onset time (VOT) is a critical acoustic measurement used to distinguish between voiced and voiceless stop consonants. It refers to the length of time that passes between the release of a stop consonant and the onset of vocal cord vibration. In the case of stops, this timing is essential because it helps to determine if a consonant like /b/ (voiced) or /p/ (voiceless) is being produced.

In contrast, fricatives, nasal sounds, and liquids do not exhibit a clear VOT distinction like stops do. Fricatives do not have a definitive release phase; nasal sounds are characterized by resonance in the nasal cavity rather than timing related to voicing onset, and liquids do not have a voice onset time relevancy in the same way that stops do. Thus, VOT is specifically and critically employed in the analysis of stop consonants, making it the correct choice in this context.