Abstract :

This paper is concerned with nasalization in Arabic. Two instruments for data collection were employed, namely, EVA2, which measures the aerodynamics and flow of air, and Piezoelectric accelerometer, which measures nasal vibrations by placing two electrical nodes on the walls of the nose. Nasalization in Arabic, it is found, affects both preceding and following vowels. The effect of the nasal consonants (m and n) on the following vowels seems to be more than that on preceding vowels. The duration of nasalization depends primarily on vowel length and quality. Long vowels are doubly nasalized when compared to short vowels. The study also reveals that the long –open- front [aː] is the vowel nasalized most duration-wise, when compared to [u-uː], [i-iː] and [a], despite the fact that air flow measurement, show the opposite. Finally, the study reveals that nasal oscillation starts well before nasal release and that the length of nasal air flow depends on vowel duration, speakers and consonantal context.