Understanding how the palate works is key to understanding speech. In this video, I explain the anatomy and function of the soft palate—how it elevates to separate the oral and nasal cavities during speech, why that seal matters, and what happens when it doesn’t close properly. When the palate cannot achieve adequate closure against the posterior pharyngeal wall, air escapes through the nose, resulting in hypernasality — a common sign of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). You’ll also hear from