Articulatory Phonetics:

THE ORGANS OF SPEECH

Articulatory Phonetics: THE ORGANS OF SPEECH

The following are the elements we should considerto produce our speech sounds:

ARTICULATORY PHONETICS: resonators

• The human speech mechanism has three resonators (hollow spaces containing air): pharynx (can change its shape slightly); nasal cavity (constant in shape and size) and oral cavity (extremely variable).

• Pharynx: at the top of the larynx communicating both cavities.

Articulators

• All situated in or surrounding oral cavity: tongue, palate, teeth and lips.

• Active articulators (capable of movement)• Passive articulators (incapable of movement)

• Palate (separates mouth from nasal cavity). Divided into a) alveolar or teeth ridge b) hard palate c) soft palate or velum

• The human larynx (voice box) is located within the neck and its structure consists of the trachea, Adam's apple, epiglottis, vocal cords and glottis.

• It is involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration (epiglottis).

• The larynx is made up of 9 different cartilages attached to the vocal cords which stretch across the glottis (trachea opening). The glottis is made of elastic fibers and allows air from the lungs to pass through causing the vocal cords to vibrate, thus producing sound.

• Cartilages: three single (epiglottic, thyroid and cricoid) and three paired (arytenoid, corniculate, and cuneiform).

THE LARYNX

Articulators: the tongueThe most agile speech organ made of

muscle

Articulators

References• CRUTTENDEN, ALAN. Gimson’s Pronunciation of

English. 5th Ed. London: Arnold, 1994. Chapters 1 and 6.

• FINCH, D. & Héctor ORTIZ LIRA, A Course in English Phonetics for Spanish Speakers, London, Heinemann, 1982. Chapters 1, 4.

• GIEGERICH, Heinz, English Phonology, Cambridge, 1995. Chapter 2.

• JONES, D. J. English Pronouncing Dictionary. 15th Ed. Edited by Peter Roach & J. Hartman. Cambridge: CUP, 1997.

• MAIDMENT, J. 2006. Speech Internet Dictionary.  http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/sid/sidhome.htm