What distinguishes a fricative sound from an africative sound?

A fricative sound is characterized by a continuous flow of air through a narrow constriction in the vocal tract, creating a turbulent airflow. This sounds like the "f" in "fish" or the "s" in "snake." In contrast, an affricate sound begins as a stop with complete closure in the vocal tract, followed by a fricative release. An example of an affricate is the "ch" in "church," which starts with a moment of complete blockage before releasing into a fricative sound.

The distinction lies primarily in how the airflow is managed at the point of articulation. Fricatives maintain a steady flow of air throughout their production, while affricates combine a stop and a fricative, beginning with complete constriction followed by a release, thus altering the nature of the airflow. Understanding this difference is essential for recognizing and producing various speech sounds in language.