Consonant /m/, /n/ and /⌡/

These sounds are called nasal sounds. The nasal sound in English are consonants which are produced when the soft palate is lowered to close the oral cavity so that airstream passes through the nasal cavity. The nasals are /m/, /n/ and /J/ and they are all voiced.

The lips are closed while the soft palate is lowered to cover the oral cavity and allow air pass through the nasal cavity for the production of /m/. This nasal sound is therefore, produced if you close the lips, breathe comes out through the nose and add some “voice” to the breath stream. The spelling symbol is usually “m”. Pronounce the following words where /m/ occurs at the initial and final position.

/m/ at Initial Position             Final Position

1. man cram
2. make lame
3. meat steam
4. mile calm
5. mob bomb
6. mark clamp
7. mean blame

In /n/, while the soft pilate is lowered to allow the air stream pass through the nasal cavity, the tip of the tongue forms a closure with the alveolar ridge for the production of /n/. The vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of /n/ which is an alveolar nasal. The spelling symbol is “n” but it is silent after “m” in word –  final position as in “damn” and “hymn”.

/n/ at   Initial Position             Final Position

1. nab ban
2. net trin
3. knit corn
4. nice sign
5. nose tone

/J/ – As the airstream passes through the nasal cavity, as a result of the lowering of the soft palate, the back of the tongue formed a closure with the volem for the production of /J/. The vocal  cords vibrate during the production of the consonant which is alveolar nasal /J/ does not occur at the beginning of a word and the spelling symbols are: “ng” and “nk”.

/J/ at    Initial Position             Final Position

1. ringer bang
2. hunger swing
3. tangle tongue
4. anger sting
5. stronger sing
6. banquesst wing etc.

 

Assignment

Indicate the consonant at the final position in each of the following words. Write the appropriate symbols.

1. g. boom /m/
2. Damn
3. Sign
4. Nose
5. Halve
6. Walked
7. Cough
8. Legs
9. Limb
10. With

See also:

Punctuation Marks | Full Stop and The Comma

Consonant Sounds /k/ and /g/

Narrative Essay | MY LAST BIRTHDAY

PUNCTUATION MARKS

CONSTANT /S/ AND /Z/