velarizations
/ˌviːlərəˈzeɪʃənz/
noun
- The process or result of pronouncing a sound with the back of the tongue raised toward the soft palate (velum), often giving a 'dark' or 'throaty' quality.
- Linguists study the velarizations of consonants in different dialects.
- Some languages use velarizations to distinguish between similar words.
- The velarizations in his speech made the 'l' sound deeper than usual.