how do you make the ŋ sound?

[DontBanMe]

Dear moderator, please close this thread!

[birdeen's call]

Yes. The back of your tongue touches your soft palate when you pronounce this sound. Another word for soft palate is "velum", which is why the sound is called velar.

Remember that there is always a space after an exclamation mark or a question mark.

Hey there!How do you make the ŋ sound?Do............. incorrect

Hey there!_How do you make the ŋ sound?_Do ........ correct

[DontBanMe]

Yes. The back of your tongue touches your soft palate when you pronounce this sound. Another word for soft palate is "velum", which is why the sound is called velar.

Remember that there is always a space after an exclamation mark or a question mark.

Hey there!How do you make the ŋ sound?Do............. incorrect

Hey there!_How do you make the ŋ sound?_Do ........ correct

Thank you for your reply! Same goes for the correction!
So, do you need to raise the back of your tongue towards the soft palate *before* making the ŋ sound? or the back of your tongue would be raised and touch the velum when you make that sound?

[birdeen's call]

I'm not sure how to understand your question. You can only make the sound when the back of your tongue already touches your soft palate. It has to stop the airflow. When your tongue doesn't touch your soft palate, it's impossible to pronounce the sound.

[DontBanMe]

I'm not sure how to understand your question. You can only make the sound when the back of your tongue already touches your soft palate. It has to stop the airflow. When your tongue doesn't touch your soft palate, it's impossible to pronounce the sound.

So, can you tell me where the position of the front part of your tongue is when you make that ŋ sound?(Sorry, I'm kind of thick!)

[birdeen's call]

So, can you tell me where the position of the front part of your tongue is when you make that ŋ sound?

The position of the tip of your tongue doesn't really matter. It doesn't take part in the articulation of the sound. The airflow is stopped by the back of your tongue, so it all goes to your nose. This is why this velar sound is called nasal. The tip of your tongue takes the most natural position -- it rests on the floor of your mouth.

[DontBanMe]

The position of the tip of your tongue doesn't really matter. It doesn't take part in the articulation of the sound. The airflow is stopped by the back of your tongue, so it all goes to your nose. This is why this velar sound is called nasal. The tip of your tongue takes the most natural position -- it rests on the floor of your mouth.

Why would the tip of my tongue move to my hard palate( the roof of my mouth) when I try making the ŋ sound?

[birdeen's call]

Why would the tip of my tongue move to my hard palate( the roof of my mouth) when I try making the ŋ sound?

I don't know. Can you pronounce /g/?

[DontBanMe]

I don't know. Can you pronounce /g/?

I can sort of make the g and k sound without really touching my soft palate.
My phonetics book stated that my tongue isnt supposed to make a contact with the roof of my mouth. That is why I'm so puzzled!
PS: Actually my front part of the tongue doesn't touch my hard palate.but it wouldn't remain low somehow.

[birdeen's call]

I can sort of make the g and k sound without really touching my soft palate

I'm guessing you might be doing the the voiced uvular plosive /ɢ/ instead of the voiced velar plosive /ɡ/. When you pronounce the former, your tongue doesn't touch your palate. It touches that little pointy thing called uvula and the sound is articulated there. In the latter, your tongue touches your soft palate, that is velum. Note that only /ɡ/ exists in English. /ɢ/ does not.

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My phonetics book stated that my tongue isnt supposed to make a contact with the roof of my mouth.

Could you quote your book?

It could be helpful if you had your real native language in your profile. Perhaps the explanation of your problem lies there.