Airstream Mechanisms Modes of Phonation

Organs of SpeechSegmental Articulation

The Sounds of Language

Phonetics

The Sound Producing System

Speech organs

Sagittal section of the vocal tract (Techmer 1880)[From: Dan Jurafsky slide]

Nasal Cavity

Oral Cavity

Larynx: vocal folds in it

Pharynx

Trachea: the windpipe

Lung: supply airstream

Airstream Mechanisms

• Airstream process:– The ways in which the lung (or the closed glottis,

even the tongue) pushes air out or sucks it in during speech.

– Egressive sounds: air is pushed out.– Ingreessive sounds: air is sucked in.

• Phonation process:– The actions of the vocal folds.

• Articulatory process:– The movements of the tongue and the lips

interacting with the roof of the mouth and the pharynx.

– Including the oro-nasal process.

Speech production mechanism

Airstream Mechanisms

• 3 Airstream Mechanisms: – Lung airflow (pulmonic airflow

mechanism)– Glottalic airflow– Velaric airflow

Airstream Mechanisms

Pulmonic Airstream Mechanism • air is pushed out of the lungs by

downward movement of rib cage and/or upward movement of diaphragm

Plosives• stops made with an egressive pulmonic

airstream • these are our familiar stops, e.g. [p, t, k]

Airstream Mechanisms Glottalic• we can move different bodies of air • move a closed glottis up, you’ll

push air out of the mouth • move closed glottis down, air will

be sucked into the mouth

Airstream Mechanisms

Two Types of Glottalic Airstream Mechanism

• Glottalic Egressive Airstream• Glottalic Ingressive Airstream

Airstream Mechanisms• Glottalic Egressive Airstream• glottis acts as a kind of piston • compressing air in the pharynx • compressed air released when tongue

body is lowered, i.e. when stop is released

• Glottalic egressive sound [k’]• These sounds are also called EJECTIVES• Hausa and Lakota are just two languages

with ejectives.

Airstream Mechanisms• Glottalic Ingressive Sounds• glottis moves downward • sucking air inwards • but the glottis is not completely closed • some pulmonic air is still being pushed out • keeping the vocal cords vibrating• Bilabial implosive• Glottalic ingressive stops are also called

IMPLOSIVES• Sindhi is an example of a language with implosives

Airstream Mechanisms

Velaric Airstream Mechanism• this is the mechanism used to

make clicks!! • they involve trapping a body of air

rarefying it (adding a pinch of salt for taste) and then releasing it, resulting in a click

Larynx and Voice

Anatomy of the larynx

Modes of Phonation

• Phonation :larynx function as a source

• Larynx function:– (1) generate airstream– (2) serve as an articulator

• Phonation modes are categories in which laryngeal muscles manipulate the folds

Voicing/phonation

Modes of Phonation

• Five phonation modes:– Voiceless: vocal folds far apart– Whisper:

• vocal folds adducted (closed) • opening between arytenod cartilage• air forced

Modes of Phonation– Breathy:

• incomplete close of glottalic cycle • Muscle of arytenoids remain apart

– Voice:• Vibration of vocal folds

– Creak:• Low frequency vibration of vocal folds• Folds open briefly• Vibration is irregular from cycle to cycle

Glottal stop – Combinatory Phonation Modes:

• Breathy + Creaky – creak accompanied by breathy leakage

Voice Onset Time (VOT)

• refers to the relationship between the onset of voicing and the release of a closure

• so, aspirated consonants have a large VOT

Other Organs of SpeechProduction and Classification of Speech Sounds

The Vocal Tract

English Consonants

Place of Articulation

Plosives:

bilabialalveolar

velar(palatal)

Speech Production

oral & nasalcavities

larynx

lungs

How much constriction?

plosive: completely blocked

fricative: partly blocked

approximant: slightly hindered

nasalization

Does the air flow through both the nose and the mouth, or just the mouth?

Consonants: 3 phonetic features

Vowels Chart

English Vowels