Anatomy of Speech and Consonants

Anatomy of Speech

• The mouth's primary function is eating and breathing.
• Speech is a secondary function overlaid on the mouth's primary functions.
• Different languages use the same mouth structure but in different ways.

Vocal Apparatus

• The vocal apparatus is involved in speech production.
• The diagram shows the vocal cords, the pharynx and passages to the lungs and stomach.

The Larynx and Vocal Cords

• Voiceless sounds are produced when the vocal cords are apart. (e.g. "quiet" sounds)
• Voiced sounds are produced when the vocal cords are close together, vibrating. (e.g. "buzzing" sounds such as "car").

Consonants

• The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents consonant sounds.
• There are 59 consonant sounds across all languages.
• English uses 25 of these consonant sounds.
• Consonant sounds are categorized by their manner and place of articulation, which determines the position of the mouth during their production.

IPA Symbols for Consonant Sounds in English

• A table lists the IPA symbols for English consonant sounds, including descriptions of their manner and place of articulation.
• Descriptions of manners of articulation include stops, fricatives, affricates, nasals, liquids and glides.

Sound Classes for Consonants

• Sounds are classified based on voicing (voiced or voiceless), place of articulation (where in the mouth they are produced), and manner of articulation (how they are produced).
• Manners of articulation include stops, affricates, fricatives, nasals, liquids, and approximants

Places of Articulation for English Consonants

• Bilabial consonants involve both lips (e.g., "pie," "buy")
• Labiodental consonants involve the lower lip and upper teeth (e.g., "fat," "vast")

Manner of Articulation

• Stops involve a complete closure and rapid release (e.g., "pay," "kill")
• Affricates are a combination of a stop and a fricative (e.g., "cheap," "jeep")
• Fricatives involve a narrow passage for air to flow (e.g., "fan," "hop")
• Nasals involve air flowing through the nose (e.g., "my," "ring")
• Approximants involve a narrow passage but without friction (e.g., "lack," "yack")

Vowels

• Vowels are categorized based on articulation and auditory criteria, including their backness (front, central, or back), height (high, mid, or low), and rounding (rounded or unrounded).
• Tables illustrate monophthongal vowel phonemes of English, including their IPA symbols and descriptions.

Monophthongal Vowels in English

• Monophthongs are vowel sounds that are composed of one vowel unit.
• Tables illustrate simple monophthongal vowels with example words.

Diphthong

• A diphthong is a vowel sound with two vowel units.
• The English vowel sounds are illustrated by their IPA symbols & english spellings.

Explore the anatomy of speech, focusing on the mouth's role and vocal apparatus. Learn about the larynx, vocal cords, and the production of voiced and voiceless sounds. Discover the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and consonant articulation.