INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS

INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS

The Production of Speech Sounds

BY: Lic. Itzel López Y.BY: Lic. Itzel López Y.

Articulators Above the Larynx

1

2

3

4

The larynx is the sound source since the vocal cords are located there

the vocal cords are very important organs for speech production.

The pharynx is a tube which

begins just above the larynx

The velum or soft palate is seen in the diagram in a position that allows air to pass through the nose and through the mouth.

5

6

7

The hard palate is often called the "roof of the mouth".

The alveolar ridge is between the top front teeth and the hard palate

The tongue is, of course, a very important articulator and it can be moved into many different places and different shapes.

THE VOCAL APPARATUS

Fig. 2 Sub-divisions of the tongue

Types of Articulators Air passes from the larynx into the pharynx. After passing the

pharynx, air moves into the vocal tract, which consists of the oral cavity and the nasal cavity. The oral cavity, that is the mouth, generates speech sounds with the different articulators described before.

Some articulators are active (moving) or passive (stationary). The active articulators include the following:

The tongue that is divided into the tip, the blade, the front, the back, and the root.

The lower lip. The passive articulators include the following:

The teeth: both upper and lower teeth. The roof of the mouth that is divided into the alveolar ridge, the

hard palate, the soft palate or velum, and the uvula. The pharynx or back of the throat

The basic division of sounds is into two major classes: vowel sounds and consonant sounds. There is a third group of sounds that is called glides. Glides share properties of both vowels and consonants ( for example, /w/ and /y/).

A consonant is defined as a speech sound which is articulated with some kind of closure of the air stream. Consonants are classified according to the following characteristics:

Voicing: This characteristic refers to the vibration or absence of

vibration of the vocal cords when air passes between them. Sounds can be produced with or without these vibrations.

Voiced sounds: Sounds produced with the vibration of the vocal cords in the larynx. For example /z/, /g/, /d/, and any vowel sound.

Voiceless sounds: Sounds produced without any vibration of the vocal cords in the larynx. For example /t/, /k/, /s/.

Classification of consonant sounds

Place of articulation:

It refers to where the constriction occurs and what articulators are involved. Bilabial: The two lips are together. For example, /b/, /p/. Labiodental: The lower lip is against the upper front teeth. For example, /f/

and /v/. Interdental: The tip of the tongue is positioned between the teeth or touches the

back of the upper teeth. For example // as in thanks. Dental: The tip of the tongue touches the back of the upper teeth. For example

/d/ in Spanish as in día. Alveolar: The tip of the tongue makes contact with the alveolar ridge. For

example, the sound of /d/ in English. Palatal: The front of the tongue is positioned against the hard palate. For

example, /∫/ as in shoe. Velar: The back of the tongue touches the velum. For example, the sound /g/ in

English. Uvular: The back of the tongue touches the uvula. This sound does not occur in

English.

Place of articulation