speech organs1

8/3/2019 Speech Organs1

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ORGANS OF SPEECHORGANS OF SPEECH

&&THE ENGLISH SOUND SYSTEMTHE ENGLISH SOUND SYSTEM

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:By the end of this topic, you should be able to:List the main organs of speechList the main organs of speech

The functions of each speech organThe functions of each speech organ

Describe the airstream mechanismsDescribe the airstream mechanismsDescribe the place and manner of articulationDescribe the place and manner of articulation

of the English consonants and vowelsof the English consonants and vowels


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IntroductionIntroduction

The study of the production ofThe study of the production of

human speech sounds is known ashuman speech sounds is known as

articulatoryarticulatory phoneticsphonetics..

The production of a speech soundThe production of a speech sound

begins with expulsion of air frombegins with expulsion of air fromthe lungs through the mouth orthe lungs through the mouth or

nose.nose. ((egressiveegressive pulmonicpulmonic

airstream mechanism)airstream mechanism)


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The speech sounds of some languagesThe speech sounds of some languagesinvolve the movement of air into theinvolve the movement of air into the

lungs.lungs. (ingressive(ingressive pulmonicpulmonic airstreamairstreammechanism)mechanism)

All English sounds areAll English sounds are egressiveegressivepulmonicpulmonic in nature that involvesin nature that involvesairstream flowing out from the lungs.airstream flowing out from the lungs.

Different sounds are produced as a resultDifferent sounds are produced as a resultof the obstruction to the airstream,of the obstruction to the airstream,governed by different articulators orgoverned by different articulators ororgans of speech.organs of speech.


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The process of producingThe process of producing

speechspeechThe air breathed in lungs the air pressed out

mouth cavity

windpipe (trachea) larynx pharynx

nasal cavity


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The principal cavitiesThe principal cavitiesor resonators:or resonators:

--the pharyngeal cavitythe pharyngeal cavity

--the oral cavitythe oral cavity--the nasal cavitythe nasal cavity

The vocal tract:The vocal tract:

-- the long tubularthe long tubularstructure formed by thestructure formed by thefirst three cavities.first three cavities.


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The Vocal TractThe Vocal Tract

It is the whole of the air passageIt is the whole of the air passageabove the larynx and it includes:above the larynx and it includes:

the oral cavitythe oral cavity

the nasal cavitythe nasal cavity

the pharyngeal cavitythe pharyngeal cavity


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The most important organs in theThe most important organs in the

vocal tract arevocal tract are the tongue, the softthe tongue, the soft

palate, the lower jaw and the lips. Thepalate, the lower jaw and the lips. The

tongue is the most important organ fortongue is the most important organ for

speech production: its differentspeech production: its differentpostures determine most of thepostures determine most of the

phonemesphonemes. The soft palate is the. The soft palate is the

muscle that separates the oral cavitymuscle that separates the oral cavityfrom the nasal cavity.from the nasal cavity.


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The Vocal Organs or the SpeechThe Vocal Organs or the Speech

Organs (refer to notes)Organs (refer to notes) Pharynx

Oral Cavity

Nasal Cavity

Uvula

Tongue (tip/blade/front/middle/back/root)

Hard Palate

Soft Palate (Velum)

Alveolar Ridge (teeth-ridge)

Teeth (upper &lower)

Lips (upper &lower)

Epiglottis


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Diagram of the speech organsDiagram of the speech organs


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The Vocal Folds or Vocal CordsThe Vocal Folds or Vocal Cords


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Speech ProductionSpeech Production

The 3 processes in speech production:The 3 processes in speech production:

InitiationInitiation

PhonationPhonation

ArticulationArticulation


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InitiationInitiationTo produce English sounds, the airstreamTo produce English sounds, the airstream

for speech is initiated by the lungs. Whenfor speech is initiated by the lungs. When

the chest contracts air is pushed out of thethe chest contracts air is pushed out of the

lungs, creating an outlungs, creating an out--flowingflowingairstream(airstream(thethe pulmonicpulmonic egressiveegressive).).

However, there are languages that use theHowever, there are languages that use the

alternative initiation.alternative initiation. EgEg. The. The XhosaXhosa, a, a

language spoken in South Africa, uses airlanguage spoken in South Africa, uses airwhich is sucked in to produce some of itswhich is sucked in to produce some of its

sounds called clicks. The click sounds (tutsounds called clicks. The click sounds (tut--tut)tut)

do not require air to flow either into or out of thedo not require air to flow either into or out of the

lungs, but air does flow into the oral cavity.lungs, but air does flow into the oral cavity.


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PhonationPhonationA term used to refer to any vocal activityA term used to refer to any vocal activity

in the larynx which is neither INITIATION norin the larynx which is neither INITIATION nor

ARTICULATION. The various kinds of vocalARTICULATION. The various kinds of vocal--cordcord

vibration(vibration(voicingvoicing) are the main) are the main phonatoryphonatory

activities. Air passing out from the lungsactivities. Air passing out from the lungs

causes the vocal cords to vibrate andcauses the vocal cords to vibrate and

voice is produced(voice is produced(voicedvoiced). If the vocal cords). If the vocal cords

are pulled back, they cannot vibrate(are pulled back, they cannot vibrate(voicelessvoiceless).).Now, say each of the following words aloud andNow, say each of the following words aloud and

decide if the sound underlined is voiced ordecide if the sound underlined is voiced or

voiceless:voiceless:

babaccon saon sallami oranami orangge cheee cheesse creae creamm


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ArticulationArticulationA process where the airstreamA process where the airstream

passes through the vocal tract andpasses through the vocal tract and

may be modified by the movement ofmay be modified by the movement of

the articulators, that is by the lipsthe articulators, that is by the lips

and the tongue obstructing itsand the tongue obstructing its

passage through the vocal tract topassage through the vocal tract to

varying degrees. Thevarying degrees. The articulatoryarticulatory

process can be subdivided intoprocess can be subdivided into placeplace

and manner of articulation.and manner of articulation.


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Place of ArticulationPlace of Articulation

BilabialBilabial- these are sounds formed by the

articulation of the upper and lower lips, eg:/p/ /b/ /m/ /w/

LabioLabio--dentaldental- labio-dental sounds are produced by thelower lip and the upper incisors, eg: /f/ /v/

Dental- these are sounds produced when the tip of

the tongue makes contact with the incisors,

eg: // //


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AlveolarAlveolar- the alveolar sound is produced when theblade or the tip of the tongue touches orcome close to the alveolar ridge, eg. /t//d/ /n/ /s/ /z/ /l/ /r/

PostPost--alveolar/alveolar/ palatopalato--alveolaralveolar

- these sounds are produced by the blade of

the tongue articulating with the junction of

the alveolar ridge and the hard palate, eg.// // /t/ /d/


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PalatalPalatal- the palatal sounds is produced by the

front of the tongue articulating with thehard palate.

VelarVelar- velar sounds are the result of the back ofthe tongue articulating with the soft palateor velum, eg. /k/ /g/ //

GlottalGlottal

- the glottal sound is produced when the

vocal cords open and close according to the

airstream, eg. /h/


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The 24 Consonants of English

THE PLO

SIVES / ST

OPS (6)THE P

LOSIVES / ST

OPS (6)(so-called because the airflow is stopped or because it

is subsequently released, causing an outrush of airand a burst of sound)

b as inb as in bbat, soat, sobb,,cucubbbbyy

d as ind as in ddate, hiate, hidd, a, addoo

g as ing as in ggas, laas, lagg, ra, raggggeded

p as inp as in ppet, taet, tapp, re, reppeateatt as int as in ttap, peap, pett, a, attttackack

k as ink as in kking, picing, pickk, pic, pickkinging


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THE AFFRICATES (2)THE AFFRICATES (2)

a kind of stop consonant, where the expelledair causes friction rather than plosion.

tt as inas in chcheap, hateap, hatchch

//dd// as inas in jjump, heump, hedgedge


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THE NASAL CONSONANTS (3)THE NASAL CONSONANTS (3)

mm as inas in mmap, hiap, himm

nn as inas in kknnot, tiot, tinn as inas in sisingng, gi, gingngham,ham,

didingnghyhy


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THE FRICATIVES (9)THE FRICATIVES (9)

zz as inas in zzoo, aoo, ass as inas in shshame, maame, mashsh

//// as inas in tritriageage, gar, garageage, az, azureure

hh as inas in hhome, reome, rehhearsalearsal


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THE LATERALS (2)THE LATERALS (2)

Lateral consonantsLateral consonants allow the air toallow the air toescape at the sides of the tongueescape at the sides of the tongue

ll as inas in llarge, guarge, gullllrras inas in rred, jaed, jarr


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THE SEMITHE SEMI--VOWELS (2)VOWELS (2)

SemiSemi--vowels do not impede the flow ofvowels do not impede the flow ofair. They are all voiced but areair. They are all voiced but arecounted as consonants chieflycounted as consonants chiefly

because of how they function inbecause of how they function insyllablessyllables

jj as inas in boboyy,, yyellowellow

ww as inas in wwall, coall, coww


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The Vowels

English hasEnglish has twelve vowel soundstwelve vowel sounds. They are. They aredivided intodivided into sevensevenshortshortandand fivefive longlongvowelsvowels. An alternative way of organizing. An alternative way of organizingthem is according to where (in the mouth)them is according to where (in the mouth)they are produced. This method allows us tothey are produced. This method allows us to

describe them asdescribe them as frontfront,, centralcentralandand backback. We. Wecan qualify them further bycan qualify them further by how high thehow high thetongue and lower jaw aretongue and lower jaw are when we makewhen we makethese vowel sounds, and bythese vowel sounds, and by whether our lipswhether our lips

are rounded or spreadare rounded or spread, and finally by, and finally bywhether they are short or longwhether they are short or long..


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The Vowels

Front vowelsFront vowels/i:/ -- cream, seen (long high frontcream, seen (long high front

spread vowel)spread vowel)

// -- bit, silly (short high front spreadbit, silly (short high front spreadvowel)vowel)

// -- bet, head (short mid front spreadbet, head (short mid front spread

vowel); this may also be shownvowel); this may also be shownby the symbolby the symbol /e//e/

// -- cat, dad (short low front spreadcat, dad (short low front spread

vowel)vowel)


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The VowelsCentral vowelsCentral vowels

/:/ - burn, firm (long mid central

spread vowel)

// - this is sometimes known as

schwa, or the neutral vowel sound- it never occurs in a stressed

position.

// - short low front spread vowel; thisvowel is quite uncommon among

speakers in the Midlands and

further north in Britain.


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The Vowels

Back vowelsBack vowels /u:/ -- long high back rounded vowellong high back rounded vowel

// -- short high back rounded vowelshort high back rounded vowel

also shown by /u/also shown by /u/ /:/ -- long mid back rounded vowellong mid back rounded vowel

// -- short low back rounded vowelshort low back rounded vowel

/:/ -- long low back spread vowellong low back spread vowel


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DiphthongsDiphthongs

Diphthongs are sounds that begin as one

vowel and end as another, while glidingbetween them. For this reason they aresometimes described as glide vowels. Howmany are there? Almost every modern

authority says eight. All English diphthongs are falling - that is the

first element is stressed more than thesecond. Other languages have rising

diphthongs, where the second element isstressed, as in Italian uomo(man) anduovo(egg).


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Now lets try to use the IPA symbols toNow lets try to use the IPA symbols to

transcribe the following words:transcribe the following words:

1. Steam

2. Collar3. Sow

4. Cold

5.

TheF

ugitive6. Exorcist

7. Catch me if you can

8. Because you love me


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Phones that belong to the same phoneme,Phones that belong to the same phoneme,such assuch as [t][t] andand [[tt]] for Englishfor English /t//t/, are, are

calledcalled allophonesallophones. A common test to. A common test todetermine whether two phones aredetermine whether two phones areallophones or separate phonemes relies onallophones or separate phonemes relies onfindingfinding minimal pairsminimal pairs: words that differ by: words that differ byonly the phones in question.only the phones in question. For example,For example,the wordsthe words ttipip andand ddipip illustrate thatillustrate that [t][t] andand[d][d] are separate phonemes,are separate phonemes, /t//t/ andand /d//d/, in, inEnglishEnglish, whereas the lack of such a contrast, whereas the lack of such a contrastin Korean (/in Korean (/ttataata/ is pronounced [/ is pronounced [ttadaada],],

for example) indicates that in this languagefor example) indicates that in this languagethey are allophones of a phoneme /t/.they are allophones of a phoneme /t/.


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What are minimal pairs?

Minimal pairs areMinimal pairs are pairs of wordspairs of words

whosewhose pronunciation differspronunciation differs at onlyat only

one segmentone segment, such as, such assheepsheep andand

shipship oror licelice andand ricerice..

Minimal pairs are pairs of words thatMinimal pairs are pairs of words that

only haveonly have one sound(phoneme)different.

But'But' and bat'bat' are a minimal pair.

Only the vowel sound is different.


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Transcribe the followingTranscribe the following

minimal pairs:minimal pairs:litlit -- light readlight read -- red singred sing sangsang

bedbed -- bad sawbad saw -- sought bootsought boot boatboat

sootsoot -- suit butsuit but -- boot whyboot why wayway

knowknow now looknow look -- luck sockluck sock sucksuck

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