PARTS OF SPEECH MECHANISM

Speaking especially in front of an audience is not an easy thing to do. It also

requires some skills and if you dont have these skills you need to know and
develop them.
The potential speaker needs some experiences before becoming good, as well as
he or she needs to know more about some basics in speech development
including the speech instrument or the speech mechanism. There is what we
called as instruments of speech that are essential elements in speech delivery.
These instruments are called as the speech mechanism and are divided into four
parts namely; the Motor, the Vibrators, the Resonators and the
Articulators or Modifiers.
Breathing, which is primarily concerned with maintaining life, is secondarily a force
assisting in vocalization. It consists of two phases --- inhalation and exhalation.
LUNGS Serve as the reservoir of air As you inhale, fill the lungs comfortably in
preparation for speaking.

One of the components of the motor part is the lungs that contain the air.
Another component is the bronchial tubes that converge into the windpipe
forming a nozzle out in which the air that was compressed is released. The ribs
and the other bones, the cartilage and the other tissues are also belonging
to the motor part (Trachea Also known as windpipe Passageway of air going up from the lungs)
. They serve to hold the motor in place, giving leverage for the application of
power. The muscles are other motor components; these muscles expand
alternately and contract the place that is occupied by the lungs. With this, the
muscles serve alternately in order to draw air into the lungs and compress this air
afterward for expulsion.
The vibrators are the second part of the speech mechanism. When the air is
compressed in the lungs, it will be then directed into the larynx passing through
the trachea. The larynx also called as Adams apple contains a group of small
cartilage that are joined together, the larynx contain the vibrating unit.
The resonator is the third part of the speech mechanism; these are group of
air chambers in the head and in the throat. The resonators are responsible for
amplifying the sound from the larynx and making it louder as well as modifying
the sounds quality. The principal resonators are the vestibule, the pharynx,
and the nasal cavity which include the mouth and the sinuses.
The fourth part of the speech mechanism is the articulator or the modifier.
Belong to this part are the lips, the teeth, the jaw and the palate. These
components are responsible in modifying the speechs sound. They serve as
the movable boundaries of the resonators. As the speaker moves the

articulators, the shape of the resonators is modified as well as the quality of the
tone that is produced.

A. THE RESPIRATION is the process of modifying the air from the lungs for use in breathing and speaking.
Respiration depends on the nasal, oral, and pharyngeal cavities for air intake, which involves :
a) Pulmonary system; b) Chest wall; c) Major and minor thoracic muscle groups; and d) Abdominal
muscles.
# PROCESS OF RESPIRATION:
Respiration in the human body involves the flow of gas in outward (expiratory) and inward
(inspiratory) cycles. The flow of gas is the result of pressure changes in the lungs related to the size of the
thorax (chest cavity).Expiration occurs when the size of the thorax is reduced and the lung is compressed
causing air to be pushed out. Inspiration results in the increase in the size of the thorax(chest cavity).
The lungs expand in volume and lung pressure is below atmospheric pressure. As a result, air
rushes(flows) into the expanded lung.
B. THE PHONATION is the modification of the airstream from the lungs by the movement of the structures in
the laryngeal area (an airway to the lungs). In other words, phonation can be stated as production of
sound at the level of the larynx (voice-box).
Phonation Larynx Vocal Folds Muscles The structures of phonation include the vocal folds, larynx and its
membrane, and muscles.
The vocal folds are comprised of a vocal ligament (two strong bands enclosed within the vocal folds) and
the thyroarytenoid muscle (a broad, thin muscle that lies parallel and functions in fine tonal control of the
vocal folds). The glottis, is the name given to the space between the vocal folds. VOCAL FOLDS (VOCAL
CORDS)
# PROCESS OF PHONATION:
The process of phonation is not completely understood and researchers are still seeking answers to
specific questions about laryngeal functioning. One of the most widely accepted theories of phonation is
called the myoelastic-aerodynamic theory. The theory can be best explained through the following steps:
1) The glottis is constricted (not necessarily completely closed) by the contraction of the muscles;
2) Upon reaching the constriction, the air from the lungs increase the amount of pressure against the glottis
and creates a pressure;
3) The pressure at the glottis continues to increase as the folds close from the pressure; and
4) The folds are blown apart and air is emitted (flowed)causing repeated open and closed automatically.
C.

THE RESONATION is the modification of the air stream from the lungs by the size, shape, and movement
of the structures of nasal area, oral area, and pharyngeal areas (parts of throat that connect sinner nose to
the throat). The structures of resonation are:1 Nasal Cavity2 Oral Cavity3 Pharyngeal Cavity
.# PROCESS OF RESONATION:

The process of modifying sound from the larynx is accomplished by the air stream moving through
the nasal cavity, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cavity (parts of throat that connects inner nose to the throat).
The changing shape created by muscle movement and varying tension of the membranes in the cavities
produces the various formants. Formants are the overtone or resonances of the vocal tract. In other
words, formants are described as the spectral peaks of the sound spectrum of the voice. Each phoneme has
a distinct pattern of formants
D. THE ARTICULATION is the process of modifying the air stream by the various articulators. The structures
for articulation are called the articulators. The articulators are the lips, teeth, tongue, hard palate, soft
palate (velum), and glottis. These structures with the exception of the glottis, compose the oral cavity
.# PROCESS OF ARTICULATION:
it involves Velopharyngea Functioning and Tonsil Ring (a near circle of lymph tissue located near the
entrance of the nasal and oral cavity, which serves as a protection system cleaning the body of waste
material). Understanding the concept of velopharyngeal closure is accomplished by the movement of the
velum, at the level of the superior constrictor (position of broad to narrow),backward and upward to meet the
back wall of the pharynx. This movement of the velum is used in a language for the production of all
phonemes except the nasals /m/, /n/, and//.

The Mechanism of Speech Process and the Different Organs of Speech

The organs, which take part in the production of speech sounds, are called speech
organs. When we speak, air comes out through the lungs and it is interfered at various
places for the production of sounds. Sounds cannot occur without air. The following
diagram shows the main organs of speech.
Important organs:

DESCRIPTIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF SOME IMPORTANT ORGANS OF SPEECH

THE LIPS

Lips Highly flexible Can be moved into numerous positions essential to articulation

The upper lip and lower lip help to produce bilabial sounds /p, b, m/. If they are held
together, the sounds produced in that position are bilabial stops : / p, b/. If the lips are
held together, they produce different vowels.

THE TEETH

Teeth Serve as important surfaces in articulation Embedded in the alveolar ridge or gum ridges of the oral cavity

The teeth take part in the production of consonant sounds. The upper teeth only take
part in the production of speech sounds. The lower teeth don't take part for the
production of sounds. The sound produced with the help of the upper teeth are called
dental sound (q, r)

THE ALVEOLAR RIDGE

The alveolar ridge is the part between the upper teeth and the hard palate. The sound
produced with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge is called alveolar sounds, e.g.
/s/, /t/, /d/, etc.
Producing different speech sounds depends on the movement of speech organs. It is
essential to know the movement and the placement of each organ to produce particular
sounds. The above descriptions and functions of the organ of speech help you to guide
students to produce the consonants and vowels in a right way.

THE TONGUE

Tongue Flexible organ consisting of muscles, glands and connective tissues Parts of the tongue: Apex or tip
Blade Front Center Back root

The tongue is an important organ of speech. It has the greatest variety of movement.
It is divided into four parts: the tip, the blade, the front and the back. The number of
vowels is produced with the help of the tongue. Vowels differ from each other because
of the position of the tongue.
The tip of the tongue helps to produce /t, d, z, etc/. The blade of the tongue helps to
produce /t, d, , etc/. The front of the tongue helps to produce palatal sound /j/ and
the back of the tongue helps to produce
/k, g/ sounds.

THE LARYNX

Principal organ of phonation Found at the top of the trachea Protuberance is known
as the Adams apple. It manipulates pitch and volume. The larynx houses the vocal
folds (vocal cords), which are essential for phonation. The vocal folds are situated just
below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the esophagus.

THE VOCAL CORDS

Vocal Cords A pair of bundles of muscles and cartilages Open and close at various degrees

The larynx contains two small bands of elastic tissues. They are called vocal cords.
The opening between the vocal cords is called epiglottis. When we breath in or out,
the glottis is open. This is the position of the production of voiceless sounds. e.g.
/f/, /s/, /h/, etc are voiceless sounds in English. The sounds produced when the
glottis comes together are called voiced sounds. So the main function of the vocal
cords is to produce voiced and voiceless sounds.

THE EPIGLOTTIS

The epiglottis is a flexible flap at the superior end of the larynx in the throat. It acts
as a switch between the larynx and the esophagus to permit air to enter the airway
to the lungs and food to pass into the gastrointestinal tract.

THE PHARYNX

IS Common passageway for air and food Located behind the nose and mouth and includes the cavity at the
back of the tongue Divisions of the pharynx: Nasal pharynx Oral pharynx Laryngeal pharynx

is commonly referred to as the throat. The pharynx is part of both the digestive and
respiratory systems. For the digestive system, its muscular walls function in the process
of swallowing and it serves as a pathway for the movement of food from the mouth to
the esophagus.

THE SOFT PALATE

Velum Also known as the soft palate Separates the nasal pharynx from the oral cavity A flexible curtain
attached along the rear border of the hard palate

The soft palate is also called velum. It is the roof of the mouth. It separates the oral
and nasal cavity. The last part of the soft palate is called uvula. When it is lowered,
the nasal sounds (/m, n, /) are produced. When it is raised, the air passes out
through the oral cavity and the oral sounds (/p, t, k, s, etc/) are produced.

THE UVULA
Uvula Small nub on the lower border of the soft palate Movable tip at the
midline of the free border of the soft palate

THE HARD PALATE

Dome Also known as the hard palate Bony roof of the mouth Serves as an important surface against

which the tongue makes contact

The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the
mouth. It is formed by the palatine process of the maxilla and horizontal plate of
palatine bone, and spans the arch formed by the upper teeth.