How many frictionless consonants are there in English language?

There's no such thing as a "frictionless consonant" in the traditional sense of the term.

Here's why:

* Consonants are defined by how air is obstructed in the mouth. This obstruction can be complete (stop consonants like "b", "d", "g") or partial (fricatives like "f", "s", "th").

* Frictionless consonants isn't a standard term in phonetics. Some people may use it informally to refer to *approximants* or *semi-vowels* (like "w", "y", "r" and "l"). These sounds are created with minimal obstruction of airflow, resulting in a smoother, less noisy sound compared to fricatives.

So, to clarify:

* Fricatives: Involve friction between the airstream and the articulators (tongue, teeth, etc.).

* Approximants: Involve less obstruction and therefore less friction.

It's important to note that "approximants" are still considered consonants because they are produced with an obstruction in the vocal tract.

Let me know if you have any other questions!