NASAL

NASAL. A term used generally and in PHONETICS for a SPEECH quality influenced by air passing through the nose. When a nasal consonant is produced, the velum is lowered to allow air to pass out through nose as well as mouth: /m, n, ŋ/ as in am, an, sing. These consonants are generally referred to as nasal consonants or nasals. Nasalization is the production of resonance in the nose to accompany a speech sound, as in French bon but not bonne. English vowels may be partially nasalized when followed by a nasal consonant. Some ACCENTS of English are more nasal than others; some people's voices are said to sound nasal or are described as having a nasal accent or a (nasal) TWANG. Nasality is a feature of most varieties of AmE and CanE and some kinds of LONDON English. It is the consequence of a setting of the VELUM which causes a degree of nasal resonance greater than the user of such a term as twang would consider normal. Reduced nasal resonance is also described as adenoidal. There is no fixed norm. See ENG, NEW ENGLAND, SCOUSE.