What does "voicing" indicate in phonetics?

"Voicing" in phonetics refers specifically to the vibration of the vocal cords during the production of consonants. When a sound is voiced, it means that the vocal cords are together and vibrating as air passes through them, producing a buzzing quality. This is in contrast to voiceless sounds, where the vocal cords do not vibrate.

Understanding voicing is crucial for differentiating between certain consonant pairs, such as /b/ (voiced) and /p/ (voiceless), or /z/ (voiced) and /s/ (voiceless). This distinction plays an essential role in the phonological structure of languages and affects meaning.

The other choices are related to different aspects of speech production. The first choice concerns the configuration of the vocal tract, which does not specifically define voicing. The third choice refers to the classification of sounds as vowels or consonants, which is broader than merely voicing. Lastly, the fourth choice addresses stress patterns in speech rather than voicing, which is specific to the aerodynamic and acoustic qualities of consonant sounds.