Discuss with examples the main speech mechanism with reference to three systems: the Respiratory System, the Phonatory System and the Articulatory System
Certainly! Understanding the main speech mechanism involves examining how the respiratory system, the phonatory system, and the articulatory system work together to produce speech sounds.
Let’s explore each system along with examples:
1. Respiratory System
The respiratory system provides the airflow necessary for speech production. It involves the movement of air in and out of the lungs through inhalation and exhalation.
- Function: The primary function of the respiratory system in speech is to generate the airstream needed for phonation (sound production) by the phonatory system.
- Components: It includes the lungs, the trachea (windpipe), the ribcage, and the diaphragm.
- Process: During speech, inhalation brings air into the lungs. Exhalation then forces the air out of the lungs, creating the airflow that passes through the larynx to produce sound.
Example: When producing a long phrase such as “She sells seashells by the seashore,” the respiratory system ensures a steady flow of air to sustain speech throughout the entire phrase.
2. Phonatory System
The phonatory system involves the production of sound by the vibration of the vocal folds (vocal cords) within the larynx (voice box).
- Function: The primary function of the phonatory system is to convert the airflow from the respiratory system into sound waves.
- Components: It includes the larynx, the vocal folds, and associated muscles and cartilages.
- Process: When air from the respiratory system passes through the larynx, it causes the vocal folds to vibrate. These vibrations produce a fundamental frequency that can be modified by muscles in the larynx to produce different pitches and qualities of sound.
Example: When saying the word “hello,” the vocal folds vibrate to produce the sounds /h/, /ɛ/, /l/, and /o/.
3. Articulatory System
The articulatory system shapes the airflow produced by the phonatory system into specific speech sounds by modifying the vocal tract.
- Function: The primary function of the articulatory system is to shape and manipulate the sound waves produced by the phonatory system into distinct speech sounds.
- Components: It includes the oral cavity (mouth), the nasal cavity, the tongue, the lips, the teeth, the alveolar ridge, and the soft palate (velum).
- Process: Different speech sounds are produced by changing the position and movement of the articulators within the vocal tract. These movements create constrictions or obstructions in the airflow, resulting in specific speech sounds.
Example: When pronouncing the word “bat,” the tongue moves to the alveolar ridge to create a closure, then releases to produce the /t/ sound.
Summary
The main speech mechanism involves the coordinated interaction of the respiratory system, the phonatory system, and the articulatory system. The respiratory system generates airflow, the phonatory system produces sound, and the articulatory system shapes this sound into speech sounds. Together, these systems enable humans to communicate through spoken language by creating a wide range of sounds and words.