What type of sounds are produced using the nasal cavity?

Nasal sounds are produced when airflow is directed through the nasal cavity during the articulation of certain phonemes. This occurs when the soft palate (velum) lowers, allowing air to escape through the nose while the mouth is closed or partially closed. For example, in the English language, the sounds represented by the letters "m," "n," and "ng" are classic examples of nasal sounds.

In contrast, plosive sounds are created by a complete blockage of airflow followed by a sudden release, fricative sounds involve continuous airflow through a narrow constriction, creating turbulence, and vowel sounds do not require nasal airflow as they are typically produced with an open vocal tract and can occur without nasal resonance. Thus, nasal sounds are distinctly characterized by their specific production involving the nasal cavity, making the choice of nasal sounds accurate in this context.