मुख-नासिका-वचनो ऽनुनासिकः

This defines the word anunåsika. The sûtra consists of four words मुख \mouth\ नासिका
ose\ वचनः \utterance or pronunciation\ and अनुनासिकः
asals.\ Though the words मुख + नासिका 2.4.2 will by the rule of composition form मुखनासिकं and not मुखनासिका, yet the latter form might be held to be an irregularity; or the phrase मुखनासिकावचनं may be regarded as a compound of मुखनासिक+आवचनं, the word avachana meaning \partial utterance.\ That is a letter partially uttered by the nose and partially by the mouth would be called anunåsika. Therefore the nasals are those letters which are pronounced from two organs or places, i.e., the mouth and the nose. The pure nasal is anusvåra, while anunasikas are different from this, in as much as, that in pronouncing these, the breath passes through the nose and the mouth.

The vowels are generally so nasalised. 'If, instead of emitting the vowel sound freely through the mouth, we allow the velum pendulum to drop and the air to vibrate through the cavities which connect the nose with the pharynx, we hear the nasal vowels (anunåsika).' Thus अँ, आँ. In the Vedas, the particle आङ् is anunåsika. As अभ्र आँ अपः (Rig Veda. V.48.1), so also पर्षि॑ दी॒ने ग॑भी॒र आँ उग्र॑पुत्रे॒ (Rig Ved. VIII. 67. 11).

The consonants ङ, ञ, ण, न and म are also anunåsika. Thus ङ is pronounced by the throat along with the nose, ञ by the palate and nose, ण by the upper palate and nose; न by the teeth and nose, and म by the lip and nose.

The semi-vowels य, न and ल are also nasalised and are then called anunåsika. The term anunåsika is used in sūtra 5.1.126 &c.

Why have we used the word \by the mouth\? This definition will not include anusvåra or the pure nasal, which is pronounced wholly through the nose. Why have we used the word \by the nose\? In order to exclude the consonants क, च, ट, त, प &c. &c., which are pronounced wholly and solely through the mouth.,