is the soft area of the roof of the mouth , lying behind the hard palate. The velum can also move. If it lowers, it creates an opening that allows air tothe flow out through the nose (velic opening). If it is raised, the opening is blocked, and no air can flow through the nose (velic closure). Sound made with velic opening are call 'Nasal' ; Sounds made with velic closure are called 'Oral'