THE HUMAN ORGANS OF SPEECH

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 INTRODUCTION

Speech production focuses on the actual speech sounds of human languages—how they are pronounced by moving various organs in the vocal tract, perceived by the human ear, and their physical properties. This unit will primarily explore the relationship between the organs of speech involved in producing English sounds.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

- Illustrate the human organs of speech.

- Describe the functions of the various organs in speech production.

 MAIN CONTENT

 The Organs of Speech

All speech commences with the articulation of speech sounds. When you speak, you generate a sequence of speech sounds (consonants and vowels) arranged to form words in utterances. It's crucial to note that these organs are integral parts of the human body; besides their roles in speech production, they also play essential functions in respiration or chewing. However, our current focus is on their roles in sound production.

The Process of Speech Production

Some individuals may believe that only the tongue, teeth, and lips are necessary for speech production. However, can one genuinely produce any speech sound solely by moving the tongue or altering lip shapes? I don't think so. In reality, when the tongue, teeth, and lips come into play, the speech production process is well underway. Speech production initiates from the lungs, acting as the 'powerhouse' from which air flows.

Figure 1 depicts a side view of the throat, oral cavity, and nasal cavity—crucial aspects to recognize in spoken English.

 How the Speech Organs Work

During speech, we breathe normally, and as the airstream flows from the lungs through the windpipe's narrow space, certain sounds are produced. Other organs in the throat and oral cavity modify the sound based on the speaker's intended message. It's noteworthy that these various organs are encapsulated in three cavities: the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and pharyngeal cavity. Let's delve into studying each cavity to truly grasp how the organs within them function in speech production.

The Oral Cavity:

This cavity, which is the mouth, houses several vital organs crucial for speech sound production. The tongue, the most active articulator, is highly flexible and, in coordination with other oral cavity organs, can create obstructions during consonant production. Divided into four parts (back, front, tip, and blade), the tongue's mobility influences vowel quality. For instance, when saying different vowels like /a:/, /æ /, /e /, and / Ι: /, observe the varying positions of the tongue.

Another significant organ in this cavity is the teeth. While the lower front teeth play a minor role in speech, the absence of certain sounds, such as / s / and / z /, may be challenging without them. The upper front teeth contribute to spoken English, as demonstrated by the sounds /θ/ in 'thin' and /ð/ in 'then'.

The palate, forming the mouth's roof, separates the oral and nasal cavities. The palate's soft and hard parts affect speech sounds. For instance, the soft palate, when lowered, allows air to pass into the nasal cavity, influencing sounds like / m /, / n /, and /引 /. The entire palate, including the soft palate, is used by the tongue to manipulate air streams, contributing to speech production.

The hard, fixed part of the palate is divided into two sections, as illustrated in Figure 1: the alveolar ridge /ælvi）Dl）rΙ d3 / and the hard palate. The alveolar ridge, positioned immediately behind the upper front teeth, and the hard palate, the highest part of the palate between the alveolar ridge and the start of the soft palate, can be touched entirely with the tip of your tongue. The alveolar ridge plays a crucial role in English sounds like /t/ and /d3/, where the tongue touches or is close to the alveolar ridge.

The Lips: The oral cavity concludes with the lips, capable of various positions during sound articulation. They can come together firmly, as in /p/, /b/, or /m/, or be drawn inward and slightly upward to touch the upper front teeth, as in /f/ and /v/. While lip movements vary among individuals, it's generally believed that English can be spoken effortlessly without exaggerating these movements.

The Vocal Cords: The air used in speech, released by the lungs, passes through the windpipe and reaches the larynx (Adam's apple). Within the larynx, the vocal cords, two small bands of elastic tissue, can be tightly brought together or drawn apart to allow air to pass freely—this action is termed voice. Some English sounds are voiced, producing vibrations, while others, voiceless sounds, are made with the vocal cords drawn apart, allowing air to pass without vibration. The distinction between voiced and voiceless sounds can be felt by placing fingers on the neck while making sounds like /m/ and /f/.

Voiced Consonant Sounds:

Some voiced consonant sounds in English have their voiced counterparts. Consider these examples:

| Voiceless | Voiced |

| --- | --- |

| /s/ | /z/ |

| /f/ | /v/ |

| /ʃ/ | /3/ |

Pronounce these words and observe the vibration or non-vibration of your vocal cords:

- Seal /sΙ:l/ and zeal /zΙ:l/

- Few /fju:/ and view /vju:/

- Shine /ʃain/ and genre /3a:nre/

All the vowels in English are voiced.

The Nasal Cavity:

Before discussing the nasal cavity's importance in spoken English, it's crucial to mention the role played by the velum or soft palate during articulation. The velum, a continuation of the mouth's roof (palate), can be raised or lowered. When raised, blocking the nasal cavity, sounds produced are oral. When lowered, articulation can result in either nasal sounds (if air is expelled exclusively through the nasal cavity) or nasalized sounds (if air exits through both the mouth and nose simultaneously). Blocking the nasal cavity, as when nipping nostrils or due to congestion, emphasizes its role as a resonator and illustrates how its obstruction affects normal speech production. The nasal/oral distinction is vital in all languages and will be further discussed in a detailed analysis of both English consonants and vowels.

Nasal Cavity:

Having covered the oral cavity and its associated organs, let's delve into the nasal cavity—a sizable, air-filled space above and behind the nose in the middle of the face. It serves as a resonator in English consonant sound production. During the articulation of nasal consonants like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/, the soft palate is lowered, simultaneously blocking the mouth passage to channel all air through the nose. In the voiced nasal sounds /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/, the air passes out through the nose, with specific articulation details for each sound.

The soft palate is lowered for both /m/ and /n/. For /m/, the lips close to direct air through the nasal cavity, while for /n/, the tongue's tip presses against the alveolar ridge, allowing air to escape through the nasal cavity. Notably, for the production of /ŋ/, the back of the tongue presses against the soft palate, guiding air out through the nasal cavity.

These descriptions affirm the nasal cavity's role as a resonator, facilitating the proper passage for air used in articulating nasal consonant sounds.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE:

Draw Figure 1, labeling all the different parts of the speech organs. Repeat this exercise until you can do it without referring to the diagram.

 CONCLUSION:

While all languages use lung air for speech sound production, the nuances in the movement of speech organs are crucial for English sounds. It's essential to note that our study consciously omits the brain's vital role in articulation due to the complexity that would deviate from this study's purpose.

 SUMMARY:

This unit meticulously outlined how speech organ movements collaborate in forming English sounds. The detailed descriptions highlight that seemingly inconsequential differences can be pivotal in producing and recognizing English sounds.

REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Carr, P. (1999) English Phonetics and Phonology: An Introduction.

Oxford: Blackwell.

Couper,K. (1986). An Introduction to English Prosody. London: Edward Arnold

Cruttenden, A. (2001). Gimson’s Pronunciation of English. 6th ed,

Revised and edited version of A. C. Gimson’s original book. London: Edward Arnold.

Roach P. (2000) English Phonetics and Phonology, 2nd Edition,

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

http://www.csulb.edu/phoneme/organs.html

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk