Nasalization

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process by which sounds are produced with airflow through the nasal cavity
2. The phenomenon in phonetics where the quality of a sound is influenced by the presence of nasal airflow
3. The articulation of speech sounds involving the passage of air through the nose rather than the mouth

Etymology: The word "nasalization" is a plain English compound built from two parts: "nasal," from Latin "nasus" (nose), and the suffix "-ation," which forms nouns of process or result. Its meaning is simply the process of making a sound pass partly through the nose, as happens in the "m" and "n" sounds, or in the vowels of French "bon." The first half, "nasalize," was formed by adding the verb-making suffix "-ize" to "nasal." That ending traces back through Late Latin and Greek, where it was used to form verbs meaning "to make, become, or treat in a certain way." English took it up and attached it freely to adjectives and nouns, so "nasalize" is an ordinary, transparent formation. "Nasalization" then adds "-ation" to turn that verb into a noun naming the action itself. Since the suffix arrived in English through Old French, the whole word is a layered mix of Latin, Greek, and French building blocks, assembled in English.

Synonyms: nasal, pronunciation, articulation, enunciation, expression