1. Consonant clusters:
* This is the most likely interpretation. Consonant clusters are groups of two or more consonants that appear together within a word.
* Examples in English include "bl" in "blue," "st" in "stop," and "str" in "street."
* These clusters are often referred to as "blends" because the sounds are combined and pronounced together.
2. Digraphs:
* Digraphs are two letters that represent a single sound.
* Examples in English include "sh" in "ship," "th" in "thin," and "ch" in "chair."
* While not technically "blending" the sounds, they are written together and function as a single unit.
3. Phonetic blends:
* This is a more technical term used in phonetics. It describes the combination of two sounds that creates a new sound.
* This happens when two sounds are pronounced so close together that they influence each other.
* For example, the sound /tʃ/ (as in "church") is a phonetic blend of /t/ and /ʃ/.
To understand which concept you're interested in, it's helpful to provide more context. For example, are you talking about the way consonants are written, pronounced, or both? Giving a specific example of what you consider a "blended consonant" would also be helpful.