Phonotactics

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Phonotactics are restrictions in a language on the permissible combinations of phonemes. Phonotactics define permissible syllable structure, consonant clusters, and vowel sequences.

For example, in Japanese, consonant clusters like "str" are not allowed, although they are in English. Similarly, the sounds /kn/ are not permitted at the beginning of a word in English but are in German and Dutch.