Which phoneme is the alveolar nasal?

Which phoneme is the alveolar nasal?

• A. /m/
• B. /n/
• C. /ŋ/
• D. /b/

Answer: (B)

The sound you’re looking for is produced with the tongue at the alveolar ridge and air allowed to escape through the nose. That combination—alveolar place of articulation, nasal airstream, and voicing—defines the phoneme /n/. It’s the sound you hear at the start of words like “no” or “net.” Other options illustrate different places or manners: /m/ is a nasal but formed with both lips (bilabial); /ŋ/ is a nasal but formed with the back of the tongue against the velum (velar); /b/ is a voiced bilabial stop, produced with a complete momentary closure at the lips and air released through the mouth.

The sound you’re looking for is produced with the tongue at the alveolar ridge and air allowed to escape through the nose. That combination—alveolar place of articulation, nasal airstream, and voicing—defines the phoneme /n/. It’s the sound you hear at the start of words like “no” or “net.”

Other options illustrate different places or manners: /m/ is a nasal but formed with both lips (bilabial); /ŋ/ is a nasal but formed with the back of the tongue against the velum (velar); /b/ is a voiced bilabial stop, produced with a complete momentary closure at the lips and air released through the mouth.