Pronunciation: [nˈe͡ɪzəlˌa͡ɪz] (IPA) 
The word nasalise is spelled with an -ise ending instead of the -ize ending that many people might expect. This is because the word is derived from the Latin word nasalis, which gave rise to the English word nasal. In British English, it is common to use the -ise ending for verbs, whereas in American English, -ize is more commonly used. The IPA phonetic transcription for nasalise is /ˈneɪzəlaɪz/.
Nasalise, or nasalize, is a verb primarily used in linguistics to describe the process of altering the phonetic quality of a sound by resonating or passing through the nasal cavity. Specifically, it refers to the act of adding nasal resonance to a non-nasal sound, usually a vowel, by opening the velum (the soft part of the palate) to allow air to flow through the nasal passages. This results in a sound characterized by increased nasal resonance.
Nasalisation can occur in various languages and dialects, often serving different linguistic functions. It can contribute to phonetic distinctions within a language, conveying meaning differences, or it can be a phonetic feature that varies from speaker to speaker or even from one context to another. For example, in French, the nasal vowels /ã/, /ɛ̃/, /õ/, /œ̃/, /õ/ all utilize nasalisation and are distinct phonemes that differentiate words.
Nasalisation is also observed in certain regional accents or dialects, where it can be more pronounced or serve an expressive purpose.
Moreover, it is worth noting that nasalisation can be marked orthographically with diacritic symbols such as a tilde (~) or an ogonek (˛) placed above the nasalised vowel or in transcription systems such as the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
In conclusion, nasalise refers to the act of modifying the phonetic quality of a sound by adding nasal resonance, particularly to non-nasal sounds like vowels, and is a linguistic process that can contribute to meaning distinctions or regional variations in different languages and dialects.
The word "nasalise" is derived from the Latin word "nasus", meaning "nose". The suffix "-ise" is added to form the verb form of the word, indicating the act of making something nasal or adding a nasal quality to it.
