Speech Sounds

Speech Sounds

1. Loudness: this phonetic feature is related to the breadth of the vibration of the vocal folds.

2. Pitch: It's related to the frecuency of the vibration of vocal folds: The faster the vocal folds vibrate, the higher the pitch. Pitch cannot change the function of an individual sound.

3. Tone of voice: sound quality and tone of voice.

   • Sound quality: same quality irrespective of the loudness, pitch, or duration with which it is pronounced.
   • Tone of voice: it is related to the difference in colour or timbre that we hear in two different voices.

4. Duration and length: it is related to the span of time during which a sound is sustained.

   • Duration (phonetics): it is related to the absolute time taken in the articulation sound.
   • Length (phonology): it is related ti the relative time that a sound is sustained as perceived by the listener.

5. Air-stream mechanism: this mechanism is produced with air that is pushed up from the lungs through the trachea and leaves the body through the mouth and sometimes trough the nose.

   • This is called an egressive pulmonic air-stream.
   • If air is pushed up from the space between the vocals folds know as the glottis that is an egressive glottalic air-stream mechanism.
   • If the glottis makes the air move inwards it is an ingressive glottalic air-stream mechanism.
   • If air is sucked in as a result of movements against the back part of the roof of the mouth it is an ingressive velaric air-stream mechanism.

6. Voicedness and voicelessness.

   • If glottis is narrow, if the volcal folds are together, the air-stream forces it is way through and causes the vocal folds to vibrate that sound is called VOICED.
   • If glottis is open, if the vocal folds are apart, the air passes through without causing the vocal folds to vibrate that sound is called VOICELESS.
   • If the glottis is closed, the vocal folds are firmly pressed together, and the air-stream is stopped completely that sound is called GLOTTAL CLOSURE.

7. Parts of the vocal tract: this parts are called articulators and the study of them is called articulatory phonetics.

   • Pharynx: at its top end it is divided into two, one is the back of the oral cavity and the other is the beginning of the way through the nasal cavity.
   • Soft palade or velum: allows air to pass through the mouth; often in speech it is raised so that air can't escape through the nose. The soft palade can be touched by the tongue.
     • K and G are velar consonants.
   • Hard palade (the roof of the mouth).
     • J in 'yes' is palatal.
   • Alveolar ridge: it is located on the top front teeth and the hard palate.
     • T, D and N are called alveolar.
   • Tongue: it can be moved into many different places and different shapes.
     • Parts of the tongue: tip, blade, front, back and root.
   • Teeth (upper and lower): the tongue is in contact with the upper side teeth for most speech sounds.
     • Dental sounds.
   • Lips: they can be pressed together.
     • P, B and U are called bilabial.
     • Brought into contact with the teeth.
       • F and V are called labiodental.
   • Nasal cavity.
     • M and N are called nasal consonants.