Anatomy of Speech and Phonology

Study Notes

Our bodies are designed for speech: we use breath, vocal cords, and articulation.
The vocal cords vibrate to produce sound.
The glottis is the opening between the vocal cords, located in the larynx (voice box).
The pharynx is the tubular part of the throat above the larynx.
The oral cavity (mouth) and nasal cavity (nose) are also crucial for sound articulation.
Articulation involves manipulating breath and vocal cords using the lips and tongue.
Voiced consonants involve vocal cord vibration, while unvoiced consonants are produced without vibration.
Vowels are always voiced.

Phonology is the study of how sounds are organized within a language.
Dipthongs are two vowels together within one syllable, where the vowel glides to the next.
Monophthongs are single vowel sounds, with the tongue staying still.

Phoneme awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds, is crucial for reading and writing.
Each sound in a word is called a phoneme.
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) provides a system for representing speech sounds with unique symbols.

The McGurck effect occurs when visual information conflicts with auditory information, influencing our perception of sound.
The brain integrates visual and auditory information, leading to a "fused" perception.

When teaching phonology, it's important to avoid laughing at or humiliating students learning a new language.
Instead, focus on providing practice and support to help learners achieve understandable pronunciation.
Use visuals and concrete examples when teaching phonemes.