The Portuguese lateral approximant has two allophones. One is the alveolar lateral and the other is velarized. They are also known as the light l and dark l. In Brazilian Portuguese, however, the velarized lateral is only used in the southernmost part of Brazil. In other parts, the lateral is vocalized.
In the word lago (lake), the lateral is not velarized. However, in the word sal (salt), the lateral is velarized in Portugal and in the southernmost part of Brazil. In the rest of Brazil, the syllable-final l is vocalized. In intervocalic position, the lateral is usually pronounced without velarization in Brazil, but with a bit of velarization in Portugal.
Portuguese has two allophones for the lateral approximant. One is used for syllable-initial position and the other for syllable-final. In European Portuguese, the syllable-final lateral is velarized, but in Brazilian Portuguese, the lateral is vocalized by the majority of speakers.
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