Aerodynamic measures of coarticulation in /VNC/ sound sequences

Simultaneous measurements were made of voice, oral air flow, and nasal air flow for two speakers producing seven repetitions of 12 differing contexts containing Vowel + Nasal + Oral Consonant sequences in a search for the temporal pattern of nasal coarticulation. Analysis indicated a rather stereotyped degree of overlap of nasal air flow during the oral consonant, about 36% of the duration of the oral consonant. Carryover of nasal air flow into the oral consonant appears to reflect mechano-inertial limitations of a sluggish velum.