Velarized
Velarized is a phonetic term describing a secondary articulation of a consonant in which the tongue body retracts toward the velum (the soft palate) during articulation. This retraction gives the consonant a darker, heavier quality than a non-velarized, or “light,” variant. In the International Phonetic Alphabet, velarization is often indicated by the diacritic ˠ after the consonant, or by using the dedicated symbol ɫ for the velarized alveolar lateral approximant.
Articulatory description and realization: Velarization typically involves raising and retracting the tongue body toward the velum
Distribution and phonology: Velarization can be allophonic or phonemic, depending on the language. In English, the
Examples and notation: The velarized alveolar lateral approximant is commonly transcribed as [ɫ]. Other consonants can bear