Bilabial approximant

The bilabial approximant /w/ is produced by the two lips being moved against each other so as to cause a narrow rounded opening, through which the air is pushed. Approximants always merge into the following vowel, and the vocal tract achieves its relevant vowel position during the formation of the approximant. The bilabial approximant has no counterpart in Norwegian, but Norwegians tend to substitute for it the much less forceful Norwegan labiodental /v/. Norwegians should take care to make the sound bilabial and pronounced with very active articulators. SBE /w/ only occurs in word initial position.