Effect of Vowels on Consonants in Nasalence

Abstract

The present study investigated the mean nasalence value of three isolated vowels and explored the nasalence value across CV combinations based on various place of articulation of consonants. The subjects consisted of fifty (21 males, 29 females) normal young adults in the age range of 18 to 27 years. The subjects were instructed to repeat the isolated vowels and CV combinations. The mean nasalence value was calculated. Repeated measures of ANOVA were used to find the significant difference in within and across the condition (CV combination). The results indicated significant difference across vowels with the high nasalence value for the high front vowel / i / followed by / a/ and /u/. Unvoiced bilabial and retroflex stop consonants with / i / had high nasalence value followed by /u/ and /a/. This results support the finding that high front vowel have significantly higher nasalence value than other vowels. This result also aids the speech pathologists to develop the stimuli for assessing the Velopharyngeal closure.