Nasal

L220

Nasals include speech sounds where part of the airstream passes through the nasal cavavity. One component of the nasal speech sound is the stop: the airstream is blocked momentarily at some point of articulation. The major component of the nasal speech sound is the nasal cavity. Hence, nasal speech sounds are considered sonorants because the airstream cannot be constricted in the nasal cavity. Common nasal speech sounds include:

  1. labial: "m" as in mouse
  2. dental and alveolar: "n" as in noose
  3. velar "ng" as in sing.

Go to chart of the basic sounds of English

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  1. sonorants
  2. phonetics

Go to chart of the basic sounds of English