A lot of people post about how nasal North American English sounds. I would say that North American English can be quite nasal, I'm not argueing that point. I'm just wondering what this nasality does to the general sound of the language. How does it make it different from a less nasal variety? I'm looking for opinions from people who have experience with at least a few other languages. Could someone name another language with a similar level of nasality to North American English?
Nasality
Obviously French, but French was designed to be nasal! So its nasality sounds very good and very euphonic! On the other hand American English in contrast with most British English varieties, sounds more like a congested language.
That is the reason why most people, including Americans are charmed by some British varieties. It’s not just the rhoticism that makes Ame harsh and less euphonic, it’s the nasality that is congesting the language.
That is the reason why most people, including Americans are charmed by some British varieties. It’s not just the rhoticism that makes Ame harsh and less euphonic, it’s the nasality that is congesting the language.
What do you mean by congested? Do you mean the speaker sounds physically congested?
When listening to German I sometimes think it sounds slightly nasal. Does anyone else have that impression. As for French, I tend not to notice the nasality that much, which is probably because it sounds so natural to the flow of the language.
When listening to German I sometimes think it sounds slightly nasal. Does anyone else have that impression. As for French, I tend not to notice the nasality that much, which is probably because it sounds so natural to the flow of the language.
Where has the nasality in North American English come from? I know that many Irish accents are also quite nasal. Does the nasality go along with the North American/Irish type of rhoticism?
"As for French, I tend not to notice the nasality that much, which is
probably because it sounds so natural to the flow of the language"
Exactly, phonetically French is nasal, so the result is natural. While the nasality of AmEnglish is like an aliasing (false frequency) effect. An artificial nasality.
probably because it sounds so natural to the flow of the language"
Exactly, phonetically French is nasal, so the result is natural. While the nasality of AmEnglish is like an aliasing (false frequency) effect. An artificial nasality.
It may sound artificial, but seems perfectly natural to the speaker. I wonder if older forms of English were more or less nasal than current varieties. I'm guessing less nasal since other germanic languages are not nasal.
<It may sound artificial, but seems perfectly natural to the speaker>
Well, it doesn’t in Britain ! It’s just a matter of phonetic accommodation. I’ve notices many “Brits” incapable of faking an American rhotic accent. A lady from Kent-UK was unable to say “Car” with the rhotic “R”!
Well, it doesn’t in Britain ! It’s just a matter of phonetic accommodation. I’ve notices many “Brits” incapable of faking an American rhotic accent. A lady from Kent-UK was unable to say “Car” with the rhotic “R”!
When I said 'speaker', I meant someone who has a North American accent. Some British accents don't sound natural to me, they sound kind of muddled and mumbly to me, but of course they seem quite natural to the one speaking them.
French is not nasal at all. The language includes vowels that have phonemic variants that are both oral and nasal, so some vowels are pronounced nasally in some cases, but the language as a whole is not nasal. Nasality is phonemic in French, so the language _cannot_ be nasal as a whole.
In English, nasality is not phonemic, and so it comes and goes depending on the particular accent of the speaker and the individual characteristics of the speaker. Some people are consistently nasal all the time; others are not. Usually it's a blend of the two. Some pronunciations of English are known for their noticeable "nasal twang."
In English, nasality is not phonemic, and so it comes and goes depending on the particular accent of the speaker and the individual characteristics of the speaker. Some people are consistently nasal all the time; others are not. Usually it's a blend of the two. Some pronunciations of English are known for their noticeable "nasal twang."
<French is not nasal at all.> please spare us mxmaniac or whatever...
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=A nasal vowel is a vowel that produced with a lowering of the velum so that air escapes both through the mouth and the nose.
In most languages, vowels that are adjacent to nasal consonants are produced partially or fully with a lowered velum in a natural process of assimilation and are therefore technically nasal, though few speakers would notice. This is the case in English: vowels preceding nasal consonants are nasalized, but there is no phonemic distinction between nasal and oral vowels (and all vowels are considered phonemically oral).
In French, by contrast, nasal vowels are phonemes distinct from oral vowels, since words exist which differ only in the nasal or oral quality of a vowel. For example, the words beau "beautiful" and bon "good" are pronounced the same, except the vowel in bon is nasal and the vowel in beau is oral.
...nasal "n" and "m". When "n" or "m" follows a vowel combination, the "n" and "m" become silent and cause the preceding vowel to become nasalized (i.e. pronounced with the soft palate extended downward so as to allow part of the air to leave through the nostrils). Exceptions are when the "n" or "m" is doubled, or immediately followed by a vowel. The prefixes en- and em- are always nasalized. The rules get more complex than this but may vary between dialects. =
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=A nasal vowel is a vowel that produced with a lowering of the velum so that air escapes both through the mouth and the nose.
In most languages, vowels that are adjacent to nasal consonants are produced partially or fully with a lowered velum in a natural process of assimilation and are therefore technically nasal, though few speakers would notice. This is the case in English: vowels preceding nasal consonants are nasalized, but there is no phonemic distinction between nasal and oral vowels (and all vowels are considered phonemically oral).
In French, by contrast, nasal vowels are phonemes distinct from oral vowels, since words exist which differ only in the nasal or oral quality of a vowel. For example, the words beau "beautiful" and bon "good" are pronounced the same, except the vowel in bon is nasal and the vowel in beau is oral.
...nasal "n" and "m". When "n" or "m" follows a vowel combination, the "n" and "m" become silent and cause the preceding vowel to become nasalized (i.e. pronounced with the soft palate extended downward so as to allow part of the air to leave through the nostrils). Exceptions are when the "n" or "m" is doubled, or immediately followed by a vowel. The prefixes en- and em- are always nasalized. The rules get more complex than this but may vary between dialects. =
As I have stated before, nasality protects one voice from laryngitis.
In general, the greater the nasality, the longer the voice can be used for. Note that I am not a doctor or a speech pathologist. Consult a professional to confirm what I have written.
In general, the greater the nasality, the longer the voice can be used for. Note that I am not a doctor or a speech pathologist. Consult a professional to confirm what I have written.
>>Nasality is phonemic in French, so the language _cannot_ be nasal as a whole.<<
Playing with semantics I see. Well, French speakers do get colds (surprise, surprise) so they can speak their language nasally as a whole. When a Francophone speaks nasally, a nasal twang will be contributed to his pronunciation of non-nasal vowels. Naturally, this resulting nasality is weaker compared to the production of nasal vowels. It has to occur to a degree lesser than that of nasal vowels, so that phonemic distinctions can be maintained.
Playing with semantics I see. Well, French speakers do get colds (surprise, surprise) so they can speak their language nasally as a whole. When a Francophone speaks nasally, a nasal twang will be contributed to his pronunciation of non-nasal vowels. Naturally, this resulting nasality is weaker compared to the production of nasal vowels. It has to occur to a degree lesser than that of nasal vowels, so that phonemic distinctions can be maintained.
I have yet to hear any French speakers with nasal twangs.
If a Francophone is forced to pronounce everything nasally, some words cannot be distinguished individually, and must be guessed from context.
If a Francophone is forced to pronounce everything nasally, some words cannot be distinguished individually, and must be guessed from context.
=>Obviously French, but French was designed to be nasal! So its nasality sounds very good and very euphonic!<=
Ah, yes of course. Tell me piotr.Who designed French, furthermore how do you know it was meant to be nasal, if it is that at all?
Ah, yes of course. Tell me piotr.Who designed French, furthermore how do you know it was meant to be nasal, if it is that at all?