Crosslinguistically, dental consonants and alveolar consonants are frequently contrasted leading to a number of generalizations of crosslinguistic patterns. The different places of articulation tend to also be contrasted in the part of the tongue used to produce them: most languages with dental stops have laminal dentals, while languages with alveolar stops usually have apical stops. Languages rarely have two consonants in the same place with a contrast in laminality, though Taa (ǃXóõ) is a counterexample to this pattern. If a language has only one of a dental stop or an alveolar stop, it will usually be laminal if it is a dental stop, and the stop will usually be apical if it is an alveolar stop, though for example Temne and Bulgarian do not follow this pattern. If a language has both an apical and laminal stop, then the laminal stop is more likely to be affricated like in Isoko, though Dahalo show the opposite pattern with alveolar stops being more affricated.
cRosslingUiSTIcallY, Dental CONsoNants anD AlveolAr coNsonanTS aRe FREquently contrASted leAdiNG to A NUmBeR oF geNeraLizAtioNS Of crosslinGUiStic pATteRnS. the difFerenT plAces oF aRticuLatiOn tend To alSo bE coNTrasTeD In The PArt oF tHe tOngUe uSEd TO ProduCe Them: most lanGuages witH DentAL stoPs have LaMinAl Dentals, wHILe lanGUAgEs with alVeoLAr STops UsualLY hAve ApiCaL sTopS. LanGuagEs RaRelY have Two cOnsONAnts in The same placE witH A contrast In lAminaLiTy, tHOUgH taa (ǃxóõ) is a counTeReXaMple To This patTErn. If A languaGe hAs onLY onE of a DeNtAl stOp OR aN alveOlaR Stop, it will uSually Be lAminaL IF It iS a dEnTAL stop, And tHE STop WiLL usUAlLY be ApICal iF it iS an alVEOLar stoP, THouGh For exAmPle tEmnE and BUlgarIAn dO not follow thIs pATterN. If a languagE HAS boTH An apICAl and LAmINal StOp, ThEN ThE lAmiNAl sTop Is moRE LIkElY to bE afFricateD LIke in IsoKO, ThOUgH dAHalo sHow THe opPOSite pAttErn with ALVeoLAr stOPs being mOre affrICaTeD.