PHO103 - Speech Anatomy

This E-Lecture discusses the three central mechanisms of speech production: respiration, phonation and articulation.

[@oer-vlc]

Thanks a lot. If anyone deserves Colombian coffee, it's my team, who permanently supply with the wonderful graphics that I use in my E-Lectures but even more so with great ideas about how to organize online teaching and learning. .. :)

[@TheAwesomeGingerGuy]

Hello. (0:05) In the following, I'm going to introduce you to the basic concepts of speech anatomy, where three central mechanisms are responsible for the production of speech, and we will look at them in detail. Respiration, where the lungs produce the necessary energy in form of a stream of air; phonation, where the larynx serves as a modifier to the airstream and is responsible for formation; and articulation, where the vocal tract modifies and modulates the airstream by means of several articulators. (0:48) Let us look at these mechanisms in detail, and let's start with respiration. Now, before any sound can be produced at all there has to be some form of energy. In speech, the energy takes the form of a stream of air, normally coming from the lungs. Lung air is referred to… (so this is the air). And lung air is normally referred to as pulmonic air. This respiratory system is used in normal breathing, [but] in speech what is interesting is the way we change our normal pattern of breathing to enable us to speak normally. We breathe in and out every two or three seconds. You can time it if you like. When we speak, we breathe in quickly and then we let the air out very, very, slowly, and it might be five seconds before we breathe in again. Some people can speak for quite a long time before needing to breathe in. How much can you say in one breath? Breathe in and then start counting slowly: one, two, three, four, five, and so on. You should be able to get up to nine or ten easily, and if you take a deep breath, ten shouldn't be a problem. So, during normal breathing, inhalation and exhalation cover roughly the same interval. In speech, Inhalation is relatively short, whereas the exhalation period, during which the audible output is produced, covers a relatively long period. So, when we speak, our lungs slow down the flow of air. The air comes from the lungs (here are the lungs), then moves through our trachea (this is the trachea some people call it [the] windpipe) into the throat, and on the way, the air passes the larynx. (3:35) Let's look at the larynx next. Now, the primary function of the larynx, which you can see here - so let's enlarge it a little bit)… The primary function - primary biological function, to be precise - of the larynx is to act as a valve, by closing off air from the lungs or preventing foreign substances from entering the trachea. In speech production, the larynx modifies the airflow from the lungs in such a way as to produce an acoustic signal. The air that comes from the lungs (so this sort of air) passes between the vocal folds. Now, here you find the vocal folds - sometimes called vocal cords. The most important effect of vocal fold (or vocal cord) action is the production of [an] audible vibration - [the] buzzing sound known as voice (or vibration). [This is] similar to the effect of blowing air through a rubber band. So, let's demonstrate what happens if I blow air through a rubber band. Here I have a small rubber band. Now, what happens if I blow air through it like this? Well, what you hear and what you can see is the effect of vibration. The blowing of air through a rubber band creates an audible vibration, which is relatively soft here because there's no amplifying or resonating body around it. Now, each pulse of vibration represents a single opening and closing movement of the vocal folds. The number of cycles per second depends on age and sex. Average male voices vibrate at around a hundred [and] twenty times or cycles per second, [and] women's voices average something like two hundred and twenty cycles per second. (5:59) Depending on the type of laryngeal action, different modes of phonation can be distinguished. So, let's look at them in detail now. Voicelessness, or nil phonation, is the default. [It is] a type of formation (well, it's not real phonation), which is used during normal breathing. It requires a more or less wide opening of the glottis (so, here you see the glottis) resulting in glottal silence, provided that the rate of trans-glottal airflow is below the level that would generate local turbulence of the glottis. Normal voice (or just voice) refers to normal vocal cord vibration occurring along most of the length of the glottis, so [that] the vocal cords vibrate. Whisper: you can all whisper, can’t you? Well, whisper requires a far greater constriction than the voiceless setting of the glottis, and is generally achieved by adducting the vocal cords while maintaining an opening between the arytenoids (the cartilages to which the vocal folds are attached). In breathy voice (so, this is breathy voice)… In breathy voice, normal vocal cord vibration is accompanied by some continuous turbulent airflow. Well, and, creaky voice (this is some sort of creaky voice which you can do especially well early in the morning) … Well, creaky voice (or creek) is a phonation mode characterised by a low frequency of vibration of the vocal cords, with a very low opening quotient, and often some irregularity in periodicity. And finally, do you remember the Bee Gees? (8:11) - something like that. They were pretty good at singing in falsetto - the phonation mode where the vocal cords are stretched longitudinally, so that they become relatively thin in cross-section. Thus, falsetto is primarily heard as a phonatory setting in singing. (8:37) Well. And what is happening next? Respiration? Phonation? Well, once the air passes through the trachea and the glottis, it enters a long tubular structure known as the vocal tract. Here is the vocal tract, again, let's enlarge it a little bit, okay. Now, this is the main component where we articulate speech sounds in the vocal tract. The airstream is affected by the action of several mobile organs: the active articulators. The active articulators are actively (as the word says) involved in the production of speech sounds. The main active articulators are: the lower lip - actively involved in rounded vowels such as [u], or in consonants like [afa]; the tongue, which is involved in the production of all vowels and most consonants; the glottis, with which we produce phonation and some specific consonants such as [aʔa]; and the uvula, which is actively involved in some consonants such as, the so-called uvula trill [aʀa], but which also remains passive in others such as [aha]. This is why we represented the view uvula in a special colour, here. The active articulators are supported by a number of passive articulators, which you can see on this screen. These are specific organs, or locations, in the vocal tract which are involved in the production of speech sounds, but [which] do not move. Don't tell me that your teeth move - then it must be the third set of teeth. For example, just to pick one of them the alveolar ridge, which is involved in consonants such as: [ata] where the tongue touches the alveolar ridge; or [asa], where friction noise is created between the tongue and the alveolar ridge. The production of speech sounds, through all these organs (active and passive articulators), is referred to as articulation. (11:05) Well, this is it. You should now understand the basic mechanisms of speech production with its three stages: respiration, phonation, and articulation. (11:23) By the way, before I finish let me remind you that in the toolbox of the virtual linguistics campus you have permanent free access to our e-lecture notes, which are produced on this active board behind me during the recording of such a video. All you need is a free VLC account - so join us and become a member of the virtual linguistics camp community. (11:49) Okay, that's it for now. See you again in one of our e-lectures on speech science, and, if you like, on the virtual linguistics campus.

[@_aradgmz]

Damn. Thanks!

[@areehanoor1571]

Correction: And is responsible for phonation* not "formation." I can't thank you enough for this transcript.

[@ibrahimchowdhury7591]

Sir, It is incredible the way you have demonstrated. Every word that you have said to express the complete chapter, is magnificent. Thank you very much.

[@oer-vlc]

Thank you very much for you comment: motivating for further linguistic videos. JH

[@titononoy5185]

I love this presentation. How great is the CREATOR that provided me all these parts "in great teamwork and harmoniously" produce the human voice.... my voice. Thank you very much!

[@vanessasuarez2375]

Super helpful lesson. I have a final tomorrow in my speech class and this video explained SO MUCH! Thanks!

[@framboyant]

I live in Brazil ( northeast) and I loved the videos. They are great! Thank you.

[@anelanuar9629]

an unusual way of explanation! which is really clear and easy to understand)) thank you!

[@SeknaTS]

I absolutely loved your demonstration of the various types of phonation, downright entertaining! Thank you for these fantastic videos, they're exactly what I like. I'm 16 years old and I live in Australia and I'm linguistics mad. I was delighted to find your channel and even more surprised later on when I found out the VLC was based in Marburg, a city I went to school for a couple of months in on an exchange program not a week prior to discovering your channel. Keep up the great videos! :D

[@user-yc3xg3jd8k]

What a great, simple and detailed lecture! Thank you!

[@NitCash]

Thanks for the lesson, and greetings from Brazil to every English student around the world!

[@dsomlit]

Thank you so much for sharing knowledge, till I’m now getting old, never before realized how my routine speaking works 😊

[@shahjahanara4404]

Hii,this is my first time to watch your e lecture it s really awsome ,may God bless you for making things easier to comprehend.thx alot sir

[@yoonazain2076]

It helped me a lot, all the courses are very helpful since I am a student of English literature and linguistics. thank you very much :)

[@peeyarlmarie]

Really helped me a lot! Although there is one process that has been emphasized in my source. After phonation, resonation is stated. But I understood it more or less. :) Thank you!

[@amjadalzubi8236]

am a student majoring in hearing and speech. I have benefited a lot. Thank you very much❤

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[@hirasagheer3967]

Absolutely loved this lecture. Thank you!

[@saras2254]

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[@LaProfeJanethBHES]

Absolutely delifghted and pleased you share this meaningful and wonderful videos. I teach phonetics at the Universidad de Tolilma, Colombia, South America. My very best wishes for you! Thanks again for sharing with students from a little local university in this part of the world. I wish we could send you some of the best coffee of the world, colombia coffe!

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[@bach63139]

Most excellent! Thank you!!

[@TheClubScene]

Great lessons. Clear and well presented. Thank you!

[@5699_spacex]

awesome concept

[@brianfuata1014]

This is fantastic. Thanks x

[@philkem973]

Very insightful! Thank you!

[@superfabian143]

soo good!! Taking my physio knowledge to a next level :D and really funny with the rubber band blowing ..

[@oer-vlc]

Thanks a lot, just tell everyone about this channel (550 videos)

[@azinfaghihi9851]

Very helpful. Thank you so much 😍👏🏻

[@rafikbouaouni1880]

I am civil engineer, although languistic it is not my field but I understand the phenomena. thankyou very good explanation

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[@ashokdhingra4]

Thank you, very clearly explained.

[@emihletshangela6835]

Super helpful. Thank you

[@dr.subhabratamaiti3666]

great... thank you so much sir.. :)

[@fatinnabilahwhussin5198]

loving the tech

[@anafabian8733]

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[@jthusany]

I like this. Thank You.

[@SophiaZoe]

brilliant video!

[@oer-vlc]

Join us on: oer-vlc.de : VLC102 - Speech Science to get more of these.

[@erejoycalinawan4712]

This is very helpful

[@leabaker7278]

Very helpful and clearly explained! But...doesn't the Velum move? It can be raised a little yes? So is it actually a 'passive' articulator?

[@shamsunnahar3545]

Thanks for nice video💜

[@munazzamirza8220]

highly informative

[@sloma6408]

شكرا استاذ ما قصرت ادري بيك ما راح تفهم بس ما ليه خلگ اشكرك بالانكليزي 💜

[@karthickeswaran638]

Thenk you sir this lestion is very use full

[@qudratullah170]

Very well explained

[@bato4531]

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[@marshamcguire7586]

Excellent

[@srinivasp662]

Thank you..

[@geraldinedelacruz2373]

hi! im gonna uses this for my report.

[@Gamalielme]

Thanks alot:)

[@toffekristoffe]

Interesting video. Could you make a video about what goes wrong when people stutter (technically and physically speaking, so not the "brain signals" part/theory)? Guess it's mainly about respiration and articulation. Gone through your channel a bit, but couldn't find a video on the subject. If there is already one, thanks to whoever can give link or title.

[@oer-vlc]

Maybe our video on Clinical Linguistics helps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eanYnoRqgsmsbqs

[@mahsaaa6721]

super erklärt danke

[@maryknighttttttttttttttttt]

Is it true that true that devoicing and aspiration occur in the same environment (e.g. they have the same trigger), but affect different groups of sounds (e.g. they have different target)?

[@edinshealtiel3754]

Best ......

[@fatttrixx3n161]

Thanks. Just found out why my child can't speak. She don't breath out. She just make sounds.

[@sighisoaraa]

The epiglottis is not a passive articulator.

[@diptigogate9172]

My brother after coma for 6 days is not able to speak .He is taking re hab and functional training for a year He has no sound or very feeble sound while talking but attimes has sound while he sings song . How can we help him

[@dharsanachandran4336]

thnkuu

[@gnostie]

I am searching for a detailed exposition of anatomy and physiology of human speech production. I’m also very interested I how the difference between singing and speaking is expressed in anatomical and physiological terms. If anyone could help with finding such a book/paper/resource, I’d be very grateful.

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[@satwindersetia4367]

God's creation is marvellous , indeed.

[@olegusmanov3431]

the production of audible vibration a buzzing sound known as voice. Wrong. People with their throats removed ARE still able to produce sounds. It's time to learn where the source of sound in the body is

[@kivzzzz]

I'm here to understand why I can't sing. 😅

[@aliyaaliya8341]

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[@aliyaaliya8341]

thanku ths vdeo helps me to prepare my presentation thnku