Which of the following statements about nasalization diacritics is true?

• A. The nasal tilde [˜] above a vowel
• B. The tilde nasalization diacritic [~] placed over a vowel
• C. The dot under a vowel
• D. The circumflex ^ over a vowel

Answer: (B)

Nasalization is shown in IPA by a tilde placed over the vowel symbol, indicating the vowel is produced with nasal resonance as the velum lowers. The standard diacritic is the tilde [] directly above the vowel (as in a nasalized vowel like [ã]). This specific mark reliably signals nasalization, regardless of surrounding context. The other marks shown do not represent nasalization: a dot under a vowel is used for other diacritic meanings, and a circumflex over a vowel signals vowel quality or tone in different languages, not nasalization. So, describing the nasalization diacritic as the tilde [] placed over a vowel captures the correct notation.