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 while the primary articulation of the consonant is produced. The tongue tip may contact or be near the alveolar ridge, but the essential feature is the dorsum’s backing toward the velum. This secondary articulation affects the acoustic quality of the consonant, commonly described as “dark” in contrast to a neutral or “light” variant.

Distribution and phonology: Velarization can be allophonic or phonemic, depending on the language. In English, the alveolar lateral approximant known as the “dark L” often has velarization in syllable codas or in certain phonetic contexts, as in words like full or ball. In other languages, velarization may contrast with non-velarized realizations, contributing to phonemic distinctions. The precise inventory and realization of velarization vary cross-linguistically.

Examples and notation: The velarized alveolar lateral approximant is commonly transcribed as [ɫ]. Other consonants can bear the velarization diacritic (e.g., [tˠ], [sˠ]) to indicate a secondary velarized articulation.

See also: dark L, light L, diacritic, velum, phonation.