Literature and Humanities
literature simplified and made lively
The Organs of Speech
There are a lot of organs which help a person speak with proper pronunciation and clarity. Some organs are helpful in differentiating the sounds through articulation.
They act as the main source of energy for speech. It has small air pockets called alveoles in which oxygen is stored. When the air in the alveolus is pushed up, the displaced air comes up the windpipe (trachea) and reaches the larynx. The air passes through the larynx and reaches pharynx. By adjusting the various parts in the mouth different speech sounds are produced before the lung air goes out into the atmosphere either through the mouth (oral passage) or the nose (nasal passage).
It is the protruding part of the throat commonly called Adam’s apple. It is also known as the soundbox of the body.
Vocal cords
They are two elastic strips placed across the larynx facing each other. They are fixed at one end (far end) and free at the other. In the case of normal breathing, the vocal cords are drawn apart leaving a gap between them through which the air passes freely from the lungs. This gap between the vocal cords is known as glottis. Sometimes while speaking, the vocal cords are brought into contact with each other gently. In this position, the air from the lungs pushes through these vocal cords setting them in vibration. Speech sounds that are produced with the vocal cords vibrating are known as voiced sounds, e.g. /z/. sometimes, speech sounds are produced with the vocal cords, not in contact with each other and hence not vibrating such speech sounds which are known as voiceless sounds. E.g. /s/
Glottal Stop /p/
It happens when the vocal cords are brought into contact with each other rather firmly and thus stopping the air from passing through them.
The two lips are flexible organs of speech. They can combine with each other to produce certain sounds, e.g. /p, b/. sometimes the lower lip can combine with upper front teeth to produce certain sounds, e.g. /f, v/
The Roof of the Mouth
It consists of the upper front teeth, alveolar ridge, palate or hard palate and soft palate.
The upper front teeth are fixed part of speech. The upper front teeth can combine with the lower lip to produce some sounds like /f, v/. they can also combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds like /ð/ as in this, either, θ as in thing, myth .
Alveolar Ridge
It is a hard, bulging, bony part found immediately behind the upper front teeth. This can combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds like /l, t, n/
It is also known as a hard palate.it is the hard-concave part of the roof of the mouth. Sometimes it can combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds, e.g. /j/
Soft Palate
It is soft, loosely hanging, the fleshy part after the hard palate. This can be in 3 positions.
- In between the wall of the mouth and back of the tongue. This is the position of the soft palate in the case of normal breathing. This position is also known as a neutral position. It can be raised sufficiently to be in firm contact with the wall of the mouth. Then the nasal passage is completely blocked, and all the lung air passes out only through the oral passage (mouth).
- It can also be lowered sufficiently to be in firm contact with the back of the tongue. Thus, the oral passage is completely locked and all the air from the lung passes out only through the nasal passage (nose).
- Certain sounds are produced with soft palate and the tongue combining with each other. E.g. /k, g/. the tip of the soft palate is called vellum.
It is the most flexible part; the prime organ of speech. The tongue is divided into 4 parts namely, the tip, the blade, the front, and the back. The tip of the tongue can move in the direction of the back part of the upper front teeth in the production of certain sounds. / ð, θ/
It can combine with the alveolar ridge to produce certain sounds, /t, s, n/
The front of the tongue can combine with the hard palate to produce certain sounds, /I, i:, j/
The back of the tongue combines with the soft palate to produce certain sounds, /k/.
Share this:
Leave a comment, cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
- Products All Products Pronunciation Coach 3D Pronunciation Coach icSpeech Standard Edition icSpeech Professional Edition Ultrasound Tongue Imaging 3D Electropalatography Electropalatography Nasometry Anemometry Electroglottography Frame Grabbers Microphones Webcams
- Resources Publications Speech Anatomy Mouth Positions Tongue Palate Contact Phonetic Symbols Vowel Sounds Consonant Sounds Speech Waveforms Language Packs Video Tutorials
Speech Anatomy
Speech anatomy for english pronunciation.
Using a combination of anatomical diagrams and state-of-the-art 3D animations, learn how the speech anatomy is used to produce English sounds. Click on the links to watch a short video of how each sound is produced.
- Both lips close completely, for sounds such as /p/ , /b/ , and /m/ .
- The lower lips touch or approach the upper teeth, for sounds such as /f/ and /v/ .
- The lips are rounded, for sounds such as /u/ , /o/ , and /w/ .
Sounds that are made with the lips are called labial sounds.
Sounds that are made with the teeth are called dental sounds and include: /ɵ/ and /ð/ .
Alveolar Ridge
A short distance behind the upper teeth there is a change in the angle of the roof of the mouth called the alveolar ridge.
Sounds which involve the area between the upper teeth and the alveolar ridge are called alveolars . These include: /d/ , /t/ , /s/ , /z/ , /n/ and /l/ .
Hard Palate
The hard palate is the hard part of the roof of the mouth.
Sounds that are made with the hard palate are called palatal sounds, for example /j/ .
Soft Palate (velum)
The soft palate or velum is the soft portion of the roof of the mouth, lying behind the hard palate. The velum performs two important roles in speech:
- The tongue body touches the velum in order to make the sounds /k/ , /g/ , and /ŋ/ .
- Normally during speech, the velum is in its raised position, blocking off airflow through the nose. But during some sounds (the nasal sounds, such as /m/ , /n/ , and /ŋ/ ) it lowers and allows air to flow through the nose.
Sounds that are made with the velum are called velar sounds.
Pronunciation Coach 3D
Pronunciation Coach 3D uses state-of-the-art computer animation and 3D modelling techniques to illustrate how to pronounce all of the sounds in the English language, and how to combine these sounds to pronounce any word or sentence.
The pharynx is a resonating cavity or chamber lying above the larynx and posterior to the oral cavity.
Vocal Folds
The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx. They vibrate, modulating the flow of air being expelled from the lungs during phonation.
Sounds that are made with the vibrating vocal folds are called voiced sounds.
Tongue Tip (apex)
The tip of the tongue is thin and narrow, it is directed forward against the lingual surfaces of the upper incisor teeth.
Sounds that are made with the tongue tip are called apical sounds.
Tongue Blade
The blade is the part of the tongue lying just below the upper alveolar ridge
Sounds which are made with the tongue blade are called laminal sounds.
Tongue Back
The tongue back is that part of the tongue lying below the soft palate.
Sounds that are made with the tongue back are called dorsal sounds.
IMAGES
VIDEO