Velar

Velar sounds are made with the tongue back (or dorsum) raised towards the soft palate. The soft palate is at the back of the roof of the mouth, and is also known as the velum. The sounds [k g] are velars, as is the sound [ŋ], represented by in words like ‘king’, ‘wrong’, ‘hang’; but as we will see that there are in fact many variations in the precise place of articulation in English.

The velum also acts as a kind of valve, because it can be raised and lowered. When it is lowered, air can pass into the nasal cavities and escape through the nose. When it is raised, the nasal cavities are sealed off, and air can only escape through the mouth.