Video Lecture The Organs of Speech and their Functions

Summary

This educational lecture delves into the intricacies of speech production, highlighting the roles of various organs involved. It explains the functions of the oral and nasal cavities as resonators and the significance of the vocal cords, positioned in the larynx. The video script also distinguishes between active and passive articulators, such as the lips, tongue, and soft palate, which are crucial for shaping sounds in pronunciation. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of the diaphragm and lungs in breathing and voice production, concluding with a recap of the four primary functions of speech organs: respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonance.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The speech organs are essential for producing speech sounds and have various functions in pronunciation.
• 👄 There are four main speech cavities: the oral cavity, nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx, which act as resonators.
• 🔊 The oral cavity is where we produce oral sounds such as 'b', 'p', and 't'.
• 👃 The nasal cavity is crucial for nasal sounds, and blocking the nose while pronouncing 'm' prevents sound production.
• 👅 The tongue is the most important articulator, divided into five parts, and requires flexibility for correct English pronunciation.
• 🦷 Passive speech organs like teeth and the alveolar ridge serve as places of articulation for sounds.
• 📏 The soft palate with the uvula plays an active role in distinguishing between oral and nasal sounds.
• 👄 The lips are active articulators that change the shape and size of the mouth opening, affecting vowel sounds.
• 🎶 The vocal cords, also known as vocal folds, produce voice by vibrating when air passes through them.
• 💨 The diaphragm is the most powerful muscle in the body, aiding in respiration and speech sound production.
• 🌐 The lungs are vital for breathing and sound production, working in conjunction with the diaphragm.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lecture in the provided transcript?

The main focus of the lecture is to discuss the organs of speech and their functions in pronunciation.

How many cavities are involved in speech production according to the script?

There are four cavities involved in speech production: the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, the pharynx, and the larynx.

What is the function of the oral cavity in speech production?

The oral cavity, or mouth cavity, is where oral sounds such as 'b', 'p', and 't' are produced.

Why is the nasal cavity important for speech production?

The nasal cavity is important for the production of nasal sounds, like 'm', and can be demonstrated by the absence of sound when the nose is pinched during pronunciation.

What are the two types of speech organs mentioned in the script?

The two types of speech organs mentioned are active articulators, which move, and passive articulators, which do not move.

How many parts is the tongue divided into for the purposes of phonetics in English?

For the purposes of phonetics in English, the tongue is divided into five parts: the tip, the blade, the front, the back, and the root.

What is the role of the vocal cords in voice production?

The vocal cords, also known as the folds, vibrate when air passes through them, producing voice. They can be in two positions: closed for voice production and open for voiceless sounds.

What is the significance of the diaphragm in speech and sound production?

The diaphragm is the most powerful muscle in the body, located at the base of the lungs, and it enables breathing, which is essential for speech and sound production.

How does the position of the uvula affect the production of oral and nasal sounds?

When the uvula is raised, it blocks the passage to the nasal cavity, allowing only oral sounds to be produced. When lowered, it allows the air to pass through the nasal cavity, producing nasal sounds.

What exercise is suggested in the script to train the tip of the tongue for better articulation?

The exercise suggested is to curl up the tip of the tongue and touch the upper lip and teeth, then quickly release it, repeating the action several times.

What are the four main functions of speech organs as listed in the script?

The four main functions of speech organs are respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonation.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Introduction to Speech Organs and Their Functions

This paragraph introduces the lecture's focus on the organs of speech and their roles in pronunciation. The speaker aims to help the audience identify and understand the functions of various speech organs by the end of the video. A visual demonstration is provided to show the active participation of speech organs in the production of speech sounds. The organs are categorized into mobile and fixed types, with the video emphasizing the importance of understanding each organ's role.

05:02

👄 Anatomy of Speech Organs: Cavities and Articulators

This section delves into the anatomy of speech organs, highlighting four main cavities involved in speech production: the oral cavity, nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx, which serve as resonators. The speaker explains the significance of the oral and nasal cavities in producing oral and nasal sounds, respectively. An experiment is suggested to demonstrate the necessity of the nasal cavity for nasal sounds. The paragraph also introduces the concept of articulators, dividing them into active (muscles) and passive (bones) parts, and provides a table listing the active and passive speech organs, emphasizing the tongue's role in speech.

10:02

🔍 Detailed Examination of Articulators and Their Roles

The speaker provides a detailed examination of the articulators, focusing on both active and passive organs. The passive organs, such as the teeth, alveolar ridge, and hard palate, serve as places of articulation. The soft palate and uvula are highlighted for their role in distinguishing between oral and nasal sounds. The active organs, including the tongue, lips, and vocal cords, are described in terms of their specific functions in speech production. The speaker also offers an exercise to improve tongue flexibility and discusses the importance of the vocal cords in producing voiced and voiceless sounds.

🫁 The Role of the Lungs and Diaphragm in Speech

The final paragraph discusses the vital role of the lungs and diaphragm in speech and sound production. The lungs are responsible for oxygen supply and energy conversion from food, while the diaphragm, being the most powerful muscle, aids in breathing. The speaker concludes with a recap activity, presenting a table that categorizes speech organs into four functions: respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonance, and assigns each organ to its corresponding function.

Keywords

💡Speech Organs

Speech organs refer to the various parts of the human body that are involved in the production of speech sounds. In the context of the video, these organs are essential for understanding how speech is produced. The script mentions both mobile and fixed speech organs, highlighting their roles in the speech production process.

💡Cavities

Cavities, as discussed in the video, are the empty spaces within the speech track that function as resonators. There are four main cavities: the oral cavity, nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx. They are crucial for the amplification and quality of speech sounds, as they resonate the sound waves produced by the speech organs.

💡Oral Cavity

The oral cavity, also known as the mouth cavity, is where the majority of oral sounds are produced. The script explains that sounds like 'b', 'p', and 't' are created here. It is one of the active spaces that contribute to the formation of speech sounds.

💡Nasal Cavity

The nasal cavity is integral for the production of nasal sounds, such as 'm' in English. The script demonstrates this through an experiment where pinching the nose while trying to pronounce 'm' prevents the sound from being produced, illustrating the importance of the nasal cavity in speech.

💡Articulators

Articulators are the movable parts of the speech apparatus responsible for shaping sound into speech. The script distinguishes between active and passive articulators, with active ones including the lips, tongue, and vocal cords, while passive ones include the teeth and palate. They are key to the physical manipulation of sound for speech.

💡Vocal Cords

Vocal cords, also referred to as vocal folds, are critical in voice production. The script explains that they can be in a closed position to produce voiced sounds or open to produce voiceless sounds. The vibration of the vocal cords when they are closed is what creates voice, as demonstrated by the difference between 'b' and 'p' in English.

💡Respiration

Respiration is the process of breathing, which is fundamental to speech as it provides the necessary airflow for sound production. The lungs and diaphragm play a significant role in this process, as mentioned in the script, with the diaphragm being the most powerful muscle involved in respiration.

💡Phonation

Phonation is the process by which the vocal cords vibrate to produce voice. The script describes how the vocal cords come together to create voiced sounds and relax apart for voiceless sounds. This is an essential aspect of speech production, differentiating voiced and voiceless consonants.

💡Resonance

Resonance in speech refers to the amplification and modification of sound within the speech cavities. The script mentions that the cavities, including the oral and nasal cavities, act as resonators to enhance the quality and projection of speech sounds.

💡Active and Passive Speech Organs

The script introduces a distinction between active and passive speech organs. Active speech organs, such as the lips and tongue, move and are involved in the actual formation of speech sounds. Passive speech organs, like the teeth and palate, provide a structure against which the active organs work to create sounds.

💡Diaphragm

The diaphragm is the most powerful muscle in the body, as stated in the script, and it plays a crucial role in respiration. It is located at the base of the lungs and helps in the inhalation and exhalation process, which is essential for speech as it controls the airflow needed for sound production.

Highlights

Introduction to the lecture on speech organs and their functions in pronunciation.

Overview of the speech organs involved in speech production, including mobile and fixed parts.

Explanation of the four cavities in the speech track: oral cavity, nasal cavity, pharynx, and larynx, which function as resonators.

Demonstration of how the oral and nasal cavities produce different sounds, such as plosives and nasal sounds.

Introduction to the concept of articulators, the parts of the mouth responsible for tuning sound into speech.

Differentiation between active and passive articulators, with active articulators being muscles that move.

Description of the active speech organs: lips, tongue, soft palate, uvula, lower jaw, vocal cords, and lungs.

Description of the passive speech organs: teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, and soft palate with uvula.

Importance of the tongue's flexibility and mobility for English pronunciation.

Exercise to train the tip of the tongue for better articulation in English.

Role of the lips in changing mouth shape and influencing the mouth resonator in English vowels.

Explanation of the uvula's function in blocking the nasal cavity passage for oral sounds and allowing nasal sounds when lowered.

Different parts of the tongue and their significance in English phonetics.

Importance of the vocal cords and their positions for voice production in speech.

Comparison of voiced and voiceless consonants to understand the function of vocal cords.

Role of the lungs and diaphragm in respiration, fuel burning, and sound production.

Recap of the four functions of speech organs: respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonance.

Conclusion and summary of the speech organs and their roles in speech production.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello everybody today we're going to

talk about the organs of speech and

their

functions by the end of this lecture you

will be able to name all the speech

organs and Define their functions in

pronunciation

let's get started with a small video

where you will be able to appreciate how

our speech organs

work as you can see in this video a lot

of speech ORS are involved in the speech

production some of them are

mobile they move they cor active

some of them are fixed they do not move

they could pass

it I would like to concentrate on each

speech organ then let's get started with

the

cavities there are four cavities in our

speech

track they are the oral cavity or the

mouth cavity

the nasal

cavity the

fings and the

Le they empty spaces and their function

is

resonators everybody knows where our

oral or mouth cavity

is there we produce our oral sounds such

as for example

b p

t and so

on as for our nasal cavity it is

extremely important for nasal

sounds in English they are

[Music]

M let's participate in this experiment

when you start pronouncing a nasal sound

for

example

M please pinch your

nose

[Music]

M so you can notice that the stream of a

tries to go out but it cannot so no

sound is

produced the other two cavities are the

fairings

ear and the

Lings the Lings is a stick that comes

out in the front of our neck it's more

obvious in men than in

women the Lings is the place where our

vocal cords

are now let's pass over to the

articulators

as it is given on the slide the

articulators are the parts of the mouth

that are responsible for tuning sound

into

spee they are subdivided into active and

passive as we have already

discussed the passive articulators are

simple bones they do not

move the active articulators are muscles

so they move

so I would like to speak about each

articulator in detail and Define its

function here I have prepared for you a

table with the active and passive speech

orans from the table you can see that

there are more active speech organs than

the passive

ones the active speech organs are the

lips the tongue the soft pet the ular

the lower jaw the vocal cords the lungs

and that's

all the passive speech organs are the

teeth the

alular the heart

pallet I would like to start with a

passive speech

org we know that the teeth are divided

into the upper teeth and the lower teeth

they are fixed they

bones and they serve as a place of

articulation another passive organ is

the

alv or the alval

line it is a

bump located behind the upper

teeth right

here it also serves as a place of

abstraction

the hat palet is also

passive it is a continuation of the

alvil

reg then comes the soft pet with a

uula the soft pallet with a uula takes

an active part in the production of oral

and nasal sounds

when the uula is

raised it blocks the passage to the

nasal

cavity so the stream of air from the

lungs goes out through the mouth cavity

and oral sounds are

produced if the uula is

lowered the stream of air goes out fely

through the nasal cality and nasal

sounds are produced

in English they are

M as I have already

mentioned the tongue is the most

important articulated in English for the

purposes of phonatics the tongue is

divided into five

parts they are the T of the tongue the

blade of the tongue the front of the

tongue

the back of the tongue and the

root there is one important rule in

English the tip of the tongue must be

flexible and

mobile so you need to train your tip of

the tongue to be such for example you

can use this

exercise you need to curl up your tip of

the tongue and touch the upper lip the

upper teeth and then the

out like

that you need to do it several times and

very

fast the lips are also active in

English they change the shape and the

size of the mouth

opening and influence the mouth

resonator

they can be

rounded and

unrounded when unrounded they are either

neutral or

spread here in the pictures you can see

on your left a rounded position in the

middle a neutral position and on your

right a spread position of English

vowels the low JW this this is the only

articulator we would like to be less

active in

English it must be three and

flex the vocal cords are also called the

folds there are two muscles by the sides

of the

layings the space between the vocal

cords is called the glob

parties there are two positions of the

vocal

cords

closed and

open when they are brought together they

are

T the stream of air that tries to go out

touches them and they begin to

vibrate so voice is

produced when they are brought aparted

they are laxed

the stream of air goes out really and no

voice is

produced in order to understand it

better you need to compare voiced and

voiceless

consonants let's take for example the vo

consonants in

English b d

g and feel the vibration here here while

pronouncing them

b d

g and please compare them with a

voiceless consonants in English such as

for

example and please feel no vibration

here here in the video you will see the

functions of the voal qus in detail

[Music]

[Music]

thank

you the lungs the lungs play a vital

role in our light and then sound

production as well they bring oxygen to

our body

they help us to burn the fuel that we

get with the neutrals in the food we

eat they are subdivided into the right

lung and the left

lung the diaphrag the diaphragm is the

most powerful muscle in our body it is

located at the base of our lungs and it

protects the lungs and enables breath

in for our for recap activity I have

prepared a table with the four functions

that our speech organs fulfill these

four functions are respiration pation

articulation and

resonation and I have also distributed

all the speech organs among these four

columns please remember the all thank

you