Which type of sound is produced by air passing through the nose?

• A. Nasal
• B. Oral
• C. Glottal
• D. Laryngeal

Answer: (A)

Air passing through the nose creates nasal sounds. This happens when the velum (soft palate) is lowered, opening the nasal cavity so the air exits via the nose rather than the mouth. The sound gains a nasal resonance, like the sounds m, n, or ŋ in many languages. In contrast, sounds produced through the mouth are oral sounds, and glottal or laryngeal sounds involve constriction at the vocal folds or within the larynx, not the nasal passage. So the type of sound produced by air through the nose is nasal.