"W̃" redirects here. For the hypothetical particle with symbol W̃, see
Gaugino.
Nasal labial–velar approximant
w̃
The nasal labial–velar approximant is a type of
consonantalsound used in some languages. The symbol in the
International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨w̃⟩, that is, a w with a
tilde. The equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is w~.
The nasal approximants [ȷ̃] and [w̃] may also be called nasal glides. In some languages like
Portuguese, they form a second element of nasal diphthongs.
Its
place of articulation is
labial–velar, which means it is simultaneously articulated with the lips and with the back part of the
tongue (the dorsum) against the
soft palate (the velum). The dorsal closure is made and released slightly before the labial closure, but they overlap for most of their duration.
Its
phonation is voiced, which means the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation.
It is a
nasal consonant, which means air is allowed to escape through the nose, either exclusively (
nasal stops) or in addition to through the mouth.
It is a
central consonant, which means it is produced by directing the airstream along the center of the tongue, rather than to the sides.
Valenzuela, Pilar M.; Márquez Pinedo, Luis; Maddieson, Ian (2001),
"Shipibo", Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 31 (2): 281–285,
doi:10.1017/S0025100301002109