Organs of speech

Speech mechanism
Speech does not start in the lungs as some may think, but in the brain as
soon as the message is thought of in the mind. Hence, some commands
will be executed by the different speech organs to produce the different
utterances. After this mental operation, all the organs contribute to the
production of human speech sounds using the expelled airstream from the
lungs ‘pulmonic aggressive airstream’. The lungs, pull in and push out
the air, which goes out via the trachea, and then it is submitted to the
first obstruction in the larynx, as soon as it passes through. Inside the
larynx, the air passes by the vocal chords, which, if they vibrate, make the
sound voiced. Afterward, the air goes up through the pharynx and then
escapes via either the oral and nasal cavities or the oral cavity only. The
parts that can be used to form sounds are called articulators .
Articulators can be subdivided into active ; 1lower lip, 2lower teeth, 3tip of
the tongue, 4front of the tongue, 5blade of the tongue and 6back of the
tongue and passive ; 1lower lip, 2lower teeth, 3tip of the tongue, 4front of
the tongue, 5blade of the tongue and 6back of the tongue.
Trachea The trachea is the tube going to the lungs. In other words, it is a
'pipe' that connects the lungs and the larynx.
The vocal tract consists of the passage from the pharynx through to the
lips.
The Larynx or Adam's Apple The larynx is on top of the trachea is
containing the vocal cords / folds. The larynx is most noticeable in the
adult male neck, where it 'sticks out' as what is known as the Adam's
apple. The speech-functions of the larynx are taken on by the vocal
cords / folds, which are inside of the larynx.The
Pharynx The pharynx is located directly above the larynx. At the upper
end, its passage splits into two; one portion leading to the nasal cavity
and the other to the oral cavity.
The Uvula The uvula is a small fleshy flap of tissue that hangs in the
back of the mouth and is the extension of the velum or the soft palate.
The Velum or Soft Palate The velum or soft palate is the soft tissue
immediately behind the tongue. Its main function is to separate the nasal
cavity from the oral cavity. When it is raised, it forces all air through the
mouth; lowered, it allows air through the nose.
The Hard Palate The hard palate, which is often simply called the
palate, or the roof of the mouth, is the bony structure that lies just behind
the alveolar ridge.
The Alveolar Ridge The alveolar ridge (teeth-ridge) is the bony ridge
behind the upper teeth. Sounds produced with the tongue touching this
part are said to be alveolar
The tongue is the most movable articulator: It is divide it into five parts;

The Tip can be moved against a passive articulator to make a speech

sound

The Blade:-the part of the tongue which lies below the alveolar ridge

when the tongue is at rest

The Front:-lies below the hard palate when the tongue is at rest
Back:-lies below the soft palate when the tongue is at rest
Root:-faces downwards the rear wall of the pharynx
The Teeth (Upper & Lower): are usually shown in the diagram only at
.the front of the mouth immediate behind the lips
The Lips:-very important organs of speech; can be moved, rounded or
protruded to produce speech