Lesson 2 Speech Organs

Speech Organs (Articulators)

◦The hard Palate: 

this is also called “the roof of the mouth”, and is the hard portion of the roof of the mouth.

◦The Alveolar Ridge:
 is the short distance between the area of the upper front teeth and the hard palate.
◦Velum or Soft Palate: 
this represents the soft portion of the roof of the mouth, lying behind the hard palate. The velum can be seen  in two  positions:
◦Lowered, it creates an opening which allows the air to escape out through the nose (nasal cavity);
◦Raised: that opening is blocked so that no air can flow through the nose, and thus, the only way to pass is through the mouth.
◦The Tongue: 
this can move and take different shapes and positions: it is divided into different parts, namely, the Tip, the Blade, the Front, the Back and the Root, all of which are moveable parts.
◦The Lips: 
Are very necessary in the production of speech sounds. They can be:
◦Pressed together, to get /p/, /b/
◦In contact with the upper teeth to get /f/, /v/
◦Rounded, to produce vowels like /u:/
◦Spread, to produce /i:/
◦The Larynx: 
Is situated at the end of the wind pipe. It is very complex articulator having the vocal folds inside.
◦The Vocal Folds/Cords:
 The vocal folds are folds of tissue stretched across the airway to the lungs. They can vibrate against each other
◦The Glottis:
This represents the opening between the vocal cords. Glottal sounds are sounds which are made in the larynx through the closure or narrowing of the glottis like /h/.