SPEECH ORGANS
& ARTICULATION
PHONOLOGY & MORPHOLOGY WEEK 2
THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPEECH
The air breathed in
Lungs
The air pressed out
Trachea (windpipe)
Larynx
Pharynx
Mouth cavity
Nasal ca vity
CHECK THIS OUT!
CHECK THIS OUT!
THE MAIN SPEECH ORGANS
1. Lips
10. Uvula
2. Teeth
11. Hard palate
3. Alveolar ridge
4. Tongue
5. Larynx
6. Vocal cords
7. Epiglottis
8. Pharynx
9. Soft palate
SUB-DIVISION OF SPEECH ORGANS
On the basis of their function, our speech organs can
be subdivided into:
a. Initiator : the speech organ that sets air into
motion for the production of speech sounds.
b. Phonator : the speech organs that are used to
produce speech sound called ‘voice’.
c. Articulator : the speech organs that are used to
obstruct the out-going air in the production of
speech sounds.
THE INITIATOR
The main initiator is the lungs, because most speech
sounds are produced by pulmonic air (lung air). When
pulmonic air flows outwards, it is said to be egressive.
The vast majority of speech sounds are made using this
air.
It is also possible – though not usual – to speak while
the air stream is flowing inwards to the lungs (pulmonic
ingressive air). This happens when someone is trying to
talk while laughing, crying, or when out of breath.
THE PHONATOR
The term refers to the vocal cords (vocal folds) in the
larynx, which are used to produce voice. A laryngoscope is
used as an instrument to study the interior of the larynx
and various positions of vocal cords.
 THE LARYNX
Before we can speak, lung air has to be converted into
audible vibrations, using the various organs within the
vocal tract. The most important source of vibration for
the production of speech sounds is in the lower region of
the tract, at the larynx.
 THE VOCAL CORDS: two elastic membranes
situated horizontally in the larynx which can be
made to assume various positions.
THE ARTICULATOR
In describing articulation, it is usual to distinguish
between those parts of the vocal tract that are
unmovable (passive articulators) and those that can
move under the control of the speaker (active
articulators).
 PASSIVE ARTICULATORS
Upper teeth
Alveolar ridge (teeth ridge)
Hard palate
 ACTIVE ARTICULATORS
Lips, tongue, uvula, vocal cords and lower jaw
(mandible).
ARTICULATORS’ POSITION IN THE MOUTH
UPPER MARGIN
Upper lip
Upper teeth
Alveolar ridge
Hard palate
Soft palate (velum)
Uvula
LOWER MARGIN
Lower lip
Lower teeth
Tongue
Lower mandible
ARTICULATORY vs. ACOUSTIC
Phonetics is actually divided into two kinds, namely
‘Articulatory Phonetics’ and ‘Acoustic phonetics’. The first
category studies speech sounds from the point of view
of their ways of speech organs, therefore it is closely
related to Physiology.
Acoustic Phonetics, on the other hand, studies speech
sounds from their physical attribute such as measuring
the loudness, pitches, waves, etc. It requires special
electronic equipment and is closely related to Physics.
ARTICULATION
The act of moving two articulators toward each
other for the obstruction of the out-going air is called
‘articulation’. The two articulators may be moved in such
a way that they are touching or almost touching each
other at a certain point which is called ‘point (place) of
articulation’.
Besides on the basis of point of articulation, speech
sounds are also classified based on the ways in which
the out-going air is obstructed (manner of
articulation).
POINT (PLACE) OF ARTICULATION
There are eleven possible places are used in speech.
However, only around eight which are used in English.
1. Bilabial
8. Retroflex
2. Labio-dental
9. Palatal
3. Dental
10. Uvular
4. Alveolar
11. Pharyngeal
5. Palato-alveolar (alveo-palatal)
6. Velar
7. Glottal
POINT (PLACE) OF ARTICULATION
1. Bilabial: both lips are involved in articulation,
as in [p], [b], [m], [w] – pink, beat, milk, walk
2. Labio-dental: the lower lip articulate with the upper
teeth,
as in [ f ], [ v ] – fan, van
3. Dental: the tongue tip and rims articulate with the upper
teeth,
as in [ θ ], [ δ ] – thin, then
4. Alveolar: the blade (and sometimes the tip) of the
tongue articulates with the alveolar ridge,
as in [t], [d], [ s ], [ z ], [n] – tap, date, cell, zoom, nap
5. Velar: the back of the tongue articulates with the soft
palate,
as in [k], [g], [ŋ] -- coke, give, sing
6. Palato-alveolar (alveo-palatal): the blade (and
sometimes the tip) of the tongue articulates with the
alveolar ridge, with a simultaneous raising of the front
of the tongue towards the hard palate,
as in [ ʃ ], [ ʒ ] – sheep, treasure
7. Glottal: the vocal cords come together to cause a
closure or friction, as in [h] – whose
8. Palatal: the front of the tongue articulates with the hard
palate,
as in [ʧ ], [ʤ], [y] – chair, judge, young
8. Retroflex: the tip of the tongue is curled back to
articulate with the area between the rear of the
alveolar ridge and the front of the hard palate. We
can hear this from Indian English accent of [t], [d].
9. Uvular: the back of the tongue articulates with the
uvula, as in French rue.
10. Pharyngeal: the front wall of the pharynx (in the
region of epiglottis) articulates with the back wall.
This exists in Arabic [h].
MANNER OF ARTICULATION
There are four main kinds of constriction made by
the articulators in producing speech sounds:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Total closure: plosive, nasal, affricate
Intermittent closure: roll (trill), flap
Partial closure: lateral
Narrowing: fricative, approximants
TOTAL CLOSURE



PLOSIVE (STOP): a complete closure is made at some
point in the vocal tract; the soft palate is raised. Air
pressure thus builds up behind the closure, which is then
released explosively, as in [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g].
NASAL: a complete closure is made at some point in the
mouth; the soft palate is lowered, so that air escapes
through the nose, as in [m], [n], [ŋ].
AFFRICATE: A complete closure is made at some point in
the mouth; the soft palate is raised. Air pressure builds up
behind the closure, and is then released relatively slowly
(compared to a plosive sound), as in [ʧ], [ʤ].
INTERMITTENT CLOSURE


ROLL (TRILL): one articulator taps rapidly against
another – typically the tongue tip against the
alveolar ridge or the tongue back against the uvula,
as in [r] in French, German or some English accent.
FLAP: a single tap is made by one articulator against
another, as in some pronunciation of the ‘r’ in very, or
‘d’ in ladder, where the tongue tip taps once against
the alveolar ridge.
PARTIAL CLOSURE

LATERAL: a partial closure is made at some point in
the mouth, in such a way that the air stream is
allowed to escape around the sides of the closure.
Various kinds of [ l ] sound are the result.
NARROWING


FRICATIVE: two vocal organs come so close together
that the movement of air between them causes
audible friction, as in [ f ], [ v ], [ s ], [ z ], [ ʃ ], [ ʒ ],
[ θ ], [ δ ].
APPROXIMANT: the articulation is strongly
influenced by the following vowel sound. [w], [y] and
[h] (voiceless) are produced with the tongue moving
(gliding), to or from the position of nearby vowel.
INDIVIDUAL HOMEWORK:
1. Draw the main speech organs in a piece of
paper. Make it colorful and interesting.
Be creative.
2. Create a consonant chart, which includes the
point of articulation and the manner of
articulation, in a piece of paper.
Create an interesting one.
3. Prepare yourself for next week’s test. You will be
questioned in regards to the speech organs and the
production of speech sounds.
 Good Luck 