Nasal consonant

Nasal consonant

A nasal consonant is a type of consonant produced with a lowered velum in the mouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. The oral cavity acts as a resonance chamber for the sound, but the primary airflow is through the nasal passage. Nasal consonants are a common feature in many of the world's languages.

Articulation

Nasal consonants are articulated by closing the oral cavity at some point, which forces the air to pass through the nasal cavity. This closure can occur at different places of articulation, leading to different nasal sounds. The most common nasal consonants in the world's languages are:

• Bilabial nasal [m] as in the English word "man"
• Alveolar nasal [n] as in the English word "nose"
• Velar nasal [ŋ] as in the English word "sing"

Phonetic Characteristics

Nasal consonants are characterized by their nasal airflow and the closure of the oral cavity. They are typically voiced, meaning the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation. The nasal cavity adds a distinctive resonance to the sound, which is why nasal consonants have a unique acoustic quality.

Distribution in Languages

Nasal consonants are found in nearly all languages. Some languages, such as French and Portuguese, have nasal vowels in addition to nasal consonants. In contrast, some languages, like Hawaiian, have a limited set of nasal consonants.

Examples in Different Languages

• In English, the nasal consonants are [m], [n], and [ŋ].
• In Spanish, the nasal consonants include [m], [n], and [ɲ].
• In Japanese, the nasal consonants are [m], [n], and [ɴ].

Related Phonetic Concepts

• Nasal vowel
• Oral consonant
• Place of articulation
• Manner of articulation

See Also

• Phonetics
• Phonology
• Consonant
• Vowel
• Voicing (phonetics)
• Resonance (phonetics)