In speech production, different parts of the body, known as speech organs or articulators, work together to create the sounds we use in language. These organs can be divided into two categories: passive articulators and active articulators.
Passive and Active Articulators
- Passive articulators are parts of the body that do not move during sound production. These include the upper lip and the upper teeth.
- Active articulators, on the other hand, are movable parts that make contact with the passive articulators to produce sounds. Some of the main active articulators are the tongue, the uvula, and the lower jaw (which includes the lower teeth and lower lip).
Lips and Their Role in Sound Production
The lips are crucial in creating various speech sounds. They are involved in the production of labial, bilabial, and labiodental sounds.
- Bilabial sounds: These sounds are made by bringing the upper and lower lips together. Examples include sounds like /p/, /b/, /m/, and /w/.
- Labiodental sounds: These are produced by touching the upper teeth to the lower lip. Examples of labiodental sounds include /f/ and /v/.
Teeth and Their Contribution to Speech
Teeth are also important for certain speech sounds, particularly labiodental and lingua-dental sounds.
- Labiodental sounds: As mentioned earlier, these sounds involve the lower lip touching the upper teeth, as in the sounds /f/ and /v/.
- Lingua-dental sounds: These sounds are produced by placing the tip of the tongue between the upper and lower teeth. Examples of lingua-dental sounds include /θ/ (as in "think") and /ð/ (as in "this").
Alveolar Ridge and Its Role in Speech
The alveolar ridge is the bony ridge located just behind the upper teeth. When the front part of the tongue touches this ridge, it produces alveolar sounds.
- Examples of alveolar sounds include /t/, /z/, /l/, /d/, and /n/.
- For the sound /s/, the air passes through the mouth as the tongue is raised close to the alveolar ridge, creating the hissing sound we recognize.
Hard Palate in Sound Production
The hard palate is the roof of the mouth. Just like the alveolar ridge, the tongue comes in contact with the hard palate to produce certain sounds.
- For example, the sound /j/ (as in "yes") is produced by the tongue touching the hard palate.
Velum and Velar Sounds
The velum, or soft palate, plays a role in producing velar sounds. These sounds occur when the back of the tongue comes into contact with the velum.
- Sounds such as /k/ (as in "cat") and /g/ (as in "go") are velar sounds.
Uvula and Guttural Sounds
The uvula, which is the small, dangling structure at the back of the throat, is responsible for producing guttural sounds. It helps control airflow through the nose, especially in the production of nasal consonants by stopping air from moving through the nasal cavity.
Glottis and Glottal Sounds
The glottis refers to the space between the vocal folds. When the vocal folds vibrate, the resulting sound has a buzzing quality, which is characteristic of glottal sounds. Sounds made with the glottis, like the sound in "uh-oh," are called glottal sounds.
The Role of Breathing and Airflow in Speech
All speech sounds are the result of muscles contracting. The muscles in the chest help control the airflow necessary for most speech sounds. Additionally, muscles in the larynx (voice box) modify the airflow from the chest to the mouth. After passing through the larynx, the air travels through the vocal tract, which includes the throat and mouth, and eventually exits through the mouth or nostrils.
The vocal tract is a complex system that can change its shape, allowing us to produce a wide variety of sounds. To understand how speech sounds are created, it is important to become familiar with the various parts of the vocal tract, including the tongue, lips, teeth, and palate. These parts work together to produce the rich variety of sounds that make up human speech.
By understanding how these speech organs function, we can gain a deeper appreciation for how language works and improve our ability to learn and speak different languages effectively.
References
Ladefoged, P., & Johnson, K. (2014). A course in phonetics (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
O'Grady, W., Archibald, J., & Aronoff, M. (2010). Contemporary linguistics: An introduction (6th ed.). Bedford/St. Martin's.
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