ˌvōkələ̇ˈzāshən, -əˌlīˈz- noun
( -s )
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary vocalize + -ation
1. : the act or process of vocalizing: as
a. : utterance with the voice
among the anthropoids, vocalization seems … to serve social purposes — Weston La Barre
b. : the change of a consonant to a vowel
the vocalization of g in Old English plegere to y in player
2.
a. : a reading with the vowels supplied sometimes conjecturally of a word originally written (as in Hebrew or Arabic with only consonants : a vocalized form of a word in a consonantal text
prefers Yahweh to Jehovah as the vocalization of the Hebrew tetragrammaton Yhwh
b. : the insertion of vowels (as in reading or writing script customarily written only with consonants)
the first step toward the vocalization of the text had appeared in the use of … vowel letters — W.A.Jeffery
c. : a manner or system of vocalizing
fix the Hebrew vocalization … in consonance with the traditional pronunciation — William Chomsky
3. : an instance or product of vocalizing