Here's what that means:
* Normal vowel production: When you pronounce a vowel, air flows through your mouth.
* Nasalized vowel production: When you pronounce a nasalized vowel, air flows through both your mouth and nose.
This change in airflow alters the sound of the vowel, giving it a slightly different quality.
Examples:
* French: The "a" in "un" (pronounced "œ̃") is nasalized.
* Portuguese: The "ã" in "mão" (pronounced "mɐ̃ʊ̃") is nasalized.
* Finnish: The "ä" in "pää" (pronounced "pæː") is nasalized.
Note: While two dots are the most common way to indicate nasalization in the IPA, other symbols may be used depending on the specific language or dialect.
If you're looking at a specific word or text, it's helpful to know the language or writing system being used to understand the meaning of the two dots.