Nasalizacion

Group Members:
Tiffany Benítez
Laura Varela
Karla Rotger
Tatiana Martínez

PHONETICS II
Prof. Beatriz Bravo

NASALIZATION

Out of the 26 consonant sounds theInternational Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) has for English, there are but three nasal sounds: [m], [n], and [ŋ]. These consonant sounds are produced with a lowered velum in themouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. In English, all nasal consonants are voiced so we don´t need to specify voicing when we transcribe them.
These phonemesare the key elements to the Assimilation rule called Nasalization. In English, Nasalization occurs when a vowel placed before a nasal consonant (within the same syllable) isaffected by the later. How? Its sound becomes nasalized. The nasalization of vowels in English is non-phonemic because it is predictable by rule. However, phonetically it isrepresented as following:

V | → | [+ NASAL] | / | ___ | [ + NASAL] | $ |
Vowels | Becomes | Nasalized | In the environment | Before | Nasal segments | Within asyllable |

The rule states that the vowel in such words as den /dɛn/ will become nasalized to [dɛn], but /dɛk/ will not be affected and is pronounced [dɛk] because /k/ is nota nasal segment. Other examples include:
[dəĩm]Dime | [kʰuĩn]queen | [mʌmi]mummy | [kʰom]come | [sĩŋ]sing | [mun]moon |

Bibliography

-Fromkin, Victoria, RobertRodman, and Nina Hyams. The Rules of Phonology. Unknown: Unknown, 2000. Print.
-Jones, Adelaida E. Phonetics for Beginners. Panama: University of Panama Press, 1993. Print.-Fromkin, Victoria, Rober Rodman, and Nina Huams. “An Introduction to Language” –Google Books.
-“Nasalization – School of Choctaw Language.” Home – School of Choctaw Language.