Details of English nasals

In looking at the details of nasals in English, we will first consider how speakers come out of a nasal sound, normally into a vowel. Secondly, we will consider how speakers get into a nasal sound – the process of going into a nasal is not a mirror image of the process of coming out of a nasal. This is because two articulations have to be co-ordinated in time: the velum has to be lowered (to produce nasal airflow) or raised (to stop nasal airflow); and remember also that there must be an oral closure as well. The timing of these two events relative to one another can be varied.