Which term describes a sound produced by releasing air through the nose with a closure elsewhere; examples include /m/ and /n/?

• A. Velar
• B. Dental
• C. Nasal
• D. Plosive

Answer: (C)

Nasal consonants are described here. They occur when the oral cavity is closed at some point (like the lips for /m/ or the tongue against the alveolar ridge for /n/) while the velum is lowered so air can escape through the nasal passages. That nasal airflow gives the recognizable sound of /m/ and /n/. The other terms point to different aspects: velar relates to where the tongue contacts the soft palate, dental to the tongue against the teeth, and plosive to a stop-and-release in the oral cavity. Because the defining feature is releasing air through the nose with an oral closure, the correct term is nasal.