velarization
/ˌviːlərəˈzeɪʃən/
noun
- The process of pronouncing a sound with the back of the tongue raised toward the soft palate, often giving it a darker or heavier quality.
- Linguists study velarization to understand how accents develop.
- In some dialects, the 'l' in 'milk' undergoes velarization.
- Velarization is common in the pronunciation of dark 'l' in English.