speech mechanism

THE SPEAKING PROCESS

ENG 132

Stages of the Speaking Process:

Breathing stage

Phonation stage

Resonation stage

Articulation stage

BREATHING STAGE

Breathing, which is primarily concerned with

maintaining life, is secondarily a force

assisting in vocalization. It consists of two phases

--- inhalation and exhalation.

LUNGS• Serve as the

reservoir of air• As you inhale, fill

the lungs comfortably in preparation for speaking.

Diaphragm• A large sheet of

muscle separating the chest cavity from the abdomen

• Forms the floor of the chest and the roof of the abdomen

• Gives pressure to the breath stream

BREATHING EXERCISE:

• 1. Sit up straight. Exhale.• 2. Inhale and, at the same time, relax the belly muscles. Feel as though the

belly is filling with air.• 3. After filling the belly, keep inhaling. Fill up the middle of your chest. Feel

your chest and rib cage expand.• 4. Hold the breath in for a moment, then begin to exhale as slowly as

possible.• 5. As the air is slowly let out, relax your chest and rib cage. Begin to pull

your belly in to force out the remaining breath.• 6. Close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.• 7. Relax your face and mind.• 8. Let everything go.• 9. Practice about 5 minutes.

PHONATION STAGE

Phonation takes place when voice is produced in

speaking as the expiratory air stream from the lungs

goes up through the trachea or windpipe to the larynx.

Larynx• Principal organ of

phonation• Found at the top

of the trachea• Protuberance is

known as the “Adam’s apple”

Vocal Cords• A pair of bundles

of muscles and cartilages• Open and close

at various degrees

Trachea• Also known as

windpipe• Passageway of

air going up from the lungs

PHONATION EXERCISE

• Think about blowing out birthday candles.

• Begin to blow and then turn the breath into an "ooo" sound on a comfortable pitch. Feel the tone begin in the breathing muscles.

• Repeat

RESONATION STAGE

The voice produced in phonation is weak. It

becomes strong and rich only when amplified and modified by the human resonators.

Resonation is the process of voice amplification and

modification.

Pharynx• Common passageway

for air and food• Located behind the nose

and mouth and includes the cavity at the back of the tongue

• Divisions of the pharynx:– Nasal pharynx– Oral pharynx– Laryngeal pharynx

Nose• Consists of the external and

internal portions• Nostrils – openings of the

external nose• Nasal cavity – internal nose;

directly behind the external nose through which the air passes on its way to the pharynx

• Septum – divides the external and internal nose into two separate passageways

Mouth• Divided into the vestibule

and the oral cavity proper

• Vestibule – felt by placing the tongue tip outside the teeth but inside the lips

• Oral cavity – felt by retracting the tongue, closing the jaws and moving the tongue about

rESONATORS:Upper part of the larynx

pharynx

Nasal cavity

Oral

cavity

RESONATION EXERCISE: Pronounce the letters according to its size. (biggest letters mean

loudest sounds)

a a e e o u

o b i i m n

u m m b p p

b p t l n oa k h h b v

RESONATION EXERCISE: Read the black syllables softest and the red syllables

loudest.

Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa pa paMa ma ma ma ma ma ma ma

maLa la la la la la la la laTa ta ta ta ta ta ta ta taBa ba ba ba ba ba ba ba baFa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa faVa va va va va va va va va

ARTICULATION STAGE

Articulation occurs when the tone produced in the

larynx is changed into specific sounds. This is the result of the movement of the articulators towards

the points of articulation.

Lips• Highly flexible • Can be moved

into numerous positions essential to articulation

Teeth• Serve as

important surfaces in articulation• Embedded in the

alveolar ridge or gum ridges of the oral cavity

Dome• Also known as the

hard palate• Bony roof of the

mouth• Serves as an

important surface against which the tongue makes contact

Uvula• Small nub on the

lower border of the soft palate• Movable tip at

the midline of the free border of the soft palate

Velum• Also known as the

soft palate• Separates the nasal

pharynx from the oral cavity

• A flexible curtain attached along the rear border of the hard palate

Tongue• Flexible organ consisting

of muscles, glands and connective tissues

• Parts of the tongue:– Apex or tip– Blade

• Front• Center• Back• root

articulatorsLower

jaw

Lower lip

Tongue

Velum

Uvula

Points of articulationUpper lip

Upper teeth

Upper alveolar ridge

Hard palate

Soft palate