Speech Organs

Speech Organs





Submitted By: Submitted To:
Tapas kumer pramanic Dr. Feroza Yasmin
ID043013006 Eng 109
Department of English and Humanities Phonetics and Phonology
















University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh

August 2007




Content
Page

Abstract 3
Chapter 1: Introduction 4
Chapter 2: Definition of speech organs 5
Chapter 3: Description of speech organs
and production of speech sound 6
3.1 Figure of speech organs in English term 9
3.2 Figure of speech organs in Bangle term 10
Chapter 4: conclusion 11
Reference 11
















Abstract:
There is every reason to believe that humans have a special capacity for language. It is not shared by other creatures. The evolutionary adaptation of certain physiological mechanisms for linguistics ends has occurred only in humans. The so called speech organs like the lungs, larynx, tongue, teeth, lips, palate, and nasal passages were and still are directly concerned with ensuring the survival of the organism. The organs of speech are most important for studying of phonetics. It is help to understanding articulators which are involved in the production of sounds or phones. Organs of speech or articulators are part of the study of articulatory phonetics. Articulator or speech organs are those organs of our body which helps us to produce speech sounds. I have discussed all of the topics in this paper. In this paper I have discussed introduction of the organs of speech, definition and description of speech organs, figures of speech organs in both bangle and English, list of speech organs for example lungs, larynx, tongue, teeth, lips, and others. I have also discussed speech organs and produced sound and have a conclusion of the speech organs. I have discussed the organs of speech because for using organs of speech, it will help a person to pronounce perfectly and more accurately in his or her first language and also second language. For the production of speech we need an air stream mechanism. In this way the speech sound is produced by the articulatory apparatus have four areas: (a) the larynx containing the vocal coeds, (b) the oral cavity, (c) the pharyngeal cavity, and (d) the nasal cavity. The air stream coming from the lungs may be modified in any of these areas in a variety of ways. Such modification results from some kind of interference with the movement of the air stream. The most important roles are played by the vocal cords, soft palate, tongue, lips, teeth and nose.








Chapter 1: Introduction

This is a paper based on organs of speech. In this paper I have discussed some of the basic concept of the organs of speech and their possible applications in linguistics and phonetics. We can say the organs of speech are thus activated and their movements create disturbances in the air; and those sound waves are received by the listener’s ears. And at the listener’s end, first of all the ears receive the linguistic codification; his nervous system passes this linguistic massage to the brain, where the linguistic interpretation of the massage takes place. The organs involve in the production of sounds are called speech organs. It is placed in the study of phonetics. According to the division of phonetics, speech organs are placed in the articulatory phonetics. The knowledge of speech organs can help both a native as well as a second language speaker.



















Chapter 2: Definition of Speech Organs

Articulator or speech organs are those organs of our body which helps us to produce speech sounds. Different linguist defines speech organs in different ways. Some of the definitions are as following:
Famous linguist David Crystal in his Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, defines articulator as:
…any specific part of the vocal apparatus involved in the production of a sound is called an articulator.
David Crystal divides the articulators into two different ways according to its mobility. They are:
Active Articulator: Any mobile or movable speech organ involves in sound production is called active articulator. E.g. Lips tongue.
Passive Articulator: Any static or immobile speech organ involves in sound production is called active articulator. E.g. Palate, vocal tract etcetera.
















Chapter 3: Description of speech organs and production of speech organs

For the production of speech we need an air stream mechanism. In this way the speech sound is produced by the articulatory apparatus have four areas: (a) the larynx containing the vocal coeds, (b) the oral cavity, (c) the pharyngeal cavity, and (d) the nasal cavity. The airstream coming from the lungs may be modified in any of these areas in a variety of ways. Such modification results from some kind of interference with the movement of the air stream. The most important roles are played by the vocal cords, soft palate, tongue, lips, teeth and nose.
Now we will discuss the role of each speech organ in production of speech:

(a) The Larynx and Vocal Cords: The larynx is the little box that is popularly called Adam’s apple. It is a casing, formed of cartilage and muscle, a bony box like structure in the front of the throat, situated in the upper part of the wind pipe or a trachea, containing a valve like opening consisting of two membranous tissues, the vocal cords. The vocal cords are like a pair of lips placed horizontally from front to back, and the opening between them is called glottis. When the breathe in and out the glottis is open. This is the position of production of the breathed or voiceless sounds. For example / f, s, h, /as in English words fan, sell, hell. The glottis may be held tightly closed to produce a glottal stop or glottal catch. The glottis may be held open in such a way that, when the air is passed through with sufficient energy, there is audible glottis friction as in /h/.


(b) Oral Cavity: Oral cavity or oral chamber is considered as the articulatory area of the mouth. It consists of several speech organs situated in the mouth hole. Phonetically ‘oral’ is opposed to ‘nasal’. Oral cavity is opposed with nasal cavity, in this way the pharynx, oesophagus and lungs are also excluded from the notion of ‘oral’. Tongue and teeth are two important articulators of oral cavity. Alveolar ride is also having in oral cavity.

The Tongue: All the moveable organs within the mouth, the tongue are by far the fleeciest, and are capable of assuming a great variety of position in the articulation of both vowels and consonants. The tongue, it has four parts: the tip, the blade, the front and the back.
The extreme end of the tongue is called the tip.
The part of the tongue opposite the alveolar ridge is called the blade.
The pert opposite the hard palate is called front.
And the part opposite the volume is called the back.

The Lips: The position of lips affects very considerably the shape of the total cavity. They may be shut or held apart in various ways. If the lips are held apart, the positions they may assume can be summarized in the following manner:
#held sufficiently far apart so that no friction is heard yet in a spread position, as in the vowel in see.
# held in a neutral position, as in the vowel in get.
# held in open position, as in the vowel in car, part.
# held in a close rounded position, as in the vowel of do.
# held in an open rounded position, as in the vowel of got.

Palate: The roof of the mouth, it has three parts: the hard convex surface just behind the upper front teeth called the alveolar or teeth ridge; the hard concave surface behind it called the hard palate; and the soft palate at the back, with the uvula at its end.

Teeth: some phones are produced with the tongue placed against or near the teeth. Sounds made in this way are called dentals. For example: this, thing words are dental sound.

Alveolar: within the oral cavity, a small ridge protrudes from just behind the upper front teeth. This is called the alveolar ridge. English words top, deer soap that is made with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge.

Palato-alveolar and Palatal: just behind the alveolar ridge, the roof of the mouth rises sharply. This area is known as the palato alveolar area. The highest part of the roof of the mouth is called palate.

(c) Pharynx: The area of the throat between the uvula and the larynx is known as the pharynx.

(d) Nasal Cavity: Nasal Cavity is a part of upper jaw and works as a passive articulator. It covers the total hollow placed upon the palate from the velum to nostril. The sounds produced from this part are called nasal sound. The term nasal is classified in the phonetics on the basis of manner of articulation. Both consonant and vowel can be pronounced in this way. Nasal consonant is pronounced when there is a complete closure in the mouth and all air pass through the nose. In nasal cavity their have velum, palate, and uvula.
Velum: The soft area towards the area of the roof of the mouth is called the velum. Sounds made with the tongue touching or near this position are called velars.

Uvula: The small fleshy flap of tissue known as the uvula hangs down from the velum. Sounds made with the tongue near or touching this area are called uvulars.

The Palate: The roof of the mouth, it has three parts: the hard convex surface just behind the upper front teeth called the alveolar or teeth ridge; the hard concave surface behind it called the hard palate; and the soft palate at the back, with the uvula at its end.

Others:
Epiglottis: Epiglottis is an anatomical structure which closes over the larynx during swallowing. It is a passive articulator which can produce an audible trill.

The Diaphragm and Lungs: The Diaphragm is situated in the human body below the lungs and controls the expansion and contraction of the lungs in breathing. The lungs serve as a source for air, which passes upward through the wind pipe and larynx consisting of the vocal cords on the mouth or both, and comes outwards. The source of energy for the production of speech is generally the air stream coming out of the lungs.





























Figure of speech organs in Bangle





























Figure of speech organs in English


Chapter 4: Conclusion
Articulator is one of the most important parts in the study of phonetics. We can say the organs of speech are thus activated and their movements create disturbances in the air; and those sound waves are received by the listener’s ears. And at the listener’s end, first of all the ears receive the linguistic codification; his nervous system passes this linguistic massage to the brain, where the linguistic interpretation of the massage takes place. The organs involve in the production of sounds are called speech organs. It is placed in the study of phonetics. According to the division of phonetics, speech organs are placed in the articulatory phonetics. The knowledge of speech organs can help both a native as well as a second language speaker.


Reference:
Davenport, M & Hannahs, S. J. (1998). Introducing Phonetics and Phonology. London: Arnold.
Crystal, D. (1991). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. UK: Blackwall.