PHONOLOGY AND PHONETICS

SESSION II
Making speech sounds
 Contents

1. Speech and breathing

2. The larynx
3. The vocal tract above the larynx
4. Describing speech production
1. Speech and breathing

 There are a number of different speech sounds.

 All the sounds we use in speech are produced by moving air.
 Speech = “Modified breathing”
 Breathing out
 Sigh
 Articulators
 Speech ´s evolution
 There are speech sounds which are made by using something other than the
lungs to make the air move.
– Clicking sounds “ tut – tut “ “ tsk – tsk”
– Ejectives = pushing air out /t/ /t´/ (Amharic / Etiopia)
– Implosives = suck air in /b/ b´/ (Sindhi /India)
– The passway = vocal tract
– Trachea = windpipe
2. The larynx

 Vocal folds = folds of muscular tissue.

 Movable (wide open to tightly closed)

 Wide = scape of air.

 Slightly narrowed = rushing noise (head).

 Close enough = vibration (voicing or phonation).

 It can be varied specially in pitch.

 Some sounds are voiced, some others voiceless.

 Vowels and nasal consonants /m/ and /n/are

voiced

 Consonants are voiceless.

 Firmly closed vocal folds = Glottal stop

3. The vocal tract above the larynx

Pharynx

 Carries air and food.

 It can be narrowed.

 It´s role is small.

 It divides = one passaway goes up.

 We can close off the access to nasal cavity by raising

the soft palate (velum).

Uvula

 Look back into your mouth.

 Plays a part in the pronunciation of some languages

The vocal tract above the larynx

Tongue

 It is so important that the word for

language is also tongue.
 It´s amazingly mobile and flexible.
 It can move upwards, downwards,
forwards and backwards.
 It does not make a lot of contact
with the palate (roof of the mouth).
 In some consonants there is a
extensive contact.
The vocal tract above the larynx

Tongue

 It is so important that the word for

language is also tongue.
 It´s amazingly mobile and flexible.
 It can move upwards, downwards,
forwards and backwards.
 It does not make a lot of contact
with the palate (roof of the mouth).
 In some consonants there is a
extensive contact.
The vocal tract above the larynx

Lower jaw Lips

 Can also move upwards and  Are very flexible and

downwards. manoeuvrable.
 At some extent can move forwards  Can be moved towards each
and backwards. togueter and firmly closed.
 The teeth can be important but we  Can also be moved further apart.
can´t move them.
 They can be pushed forwards and
rounded or pulled back and
widened in a smile.
 Describing speech production

Sample Word:

Sand
1. Write a description of how this word is produced.
2. Compare it with another person.
3. Compare it with the answer given by our book.
• Take a breath
• The velum is raised so that air cannot escape through the nose.
• The air passes up through the larynx and the pharynx into the mouth.
• The front part of the tongue has been raised so that it is touching the roof of the mouth just behing the
upper front teeth.
Sample Word:

Sand

• Take a breath

/s/
• The velum is raised so that air cannot escape through the nose.
• The air passes up through the larynx and the pharynx into the mouth.
• The front part of the tongue has been raised so that it is touching the roof of the mouth just behing the
upper front teeth.
• This obstruction forcers the air to pass through a narrow gap and hit the teeth making a hissing noise.
Sample Word:

Sand

/æ/
• Vocal folds must be vibrating.
• To move from /s/ to /æ/ bring the vocal folds together until they are in contact with each other.
• The tongue must be lowered so that it`s not obstructing the flow of the air.
• The jaw is usually lowered.
• The velum is still raised to prevent the escape of air.
Sample Word:

Sand

/n/
• The velum must be lowered (it begins to happen at the end of the /æ/).
• The tongue and jaw must be raised into almost the same position it was for making the initial /s/.
• The closure between the the tongue and the roof of the mouth must be complete.
• The vocal folds conitnue to vibrate.
• With the velum lowered and the escape of the air through the mouth blocked, all the air passes through
the nasal cavity and escapes through the nostrils.
Sample Word:

Sand

/d/
• The moe from /n/ to /d/ is a very simple one.
• Remember, during /n/ the air is escaping through the nasal cavity and no escape of air is posible through
the mouth.
• Now raise the velum and the sacpe of air stops and the vocal folds son stop vibrating.
• This raising of the velum results in the the /d/.

• Return to the position for nomal breathing.

• The vocal folds are moved apart.
• The tongue and the velum are lowered to let the air flow freely into and out of the lungs.
Lips Closed

Open

Tongue tip Closed …………. …………. ………….

Open ………..

Velum Closed

Open

Vocing On ------------- ------------- --------

Off -------------

s æ n d
 Título del gráfico
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Categoría 1 Categoría 2 Categoría 3 Categoría 4
Serie 1 Serie 2 Serie 3
Grupo A
• Paso 1
• Paso 2
Grupo B
• Paso 3
• Paso 4
Grupo C
• Paso 5