Phenomenal English

How Speech Sounds are Produced and Different Processes of Speech Production

Articulatory Phonetics

The study and research of Articulatory Phonetics have two sub-parts. In the first part, it illustrates the production and articulation of sounds of language and then in the second part, it classifies sounds in terms of their articulatory phonetic features as well as their functional manners, places, and positions which are involved in their production. In other words, some queries, such as what voice the sound has, where the sound is produced, and how the air is released, are verified by implying the term ‘VPM label (Voice Place Manner)’ after labelling sounds.

• Articulatry Phonetics (Production of Sounds )
• Articulatry Phonetics (Manner, Place and Position of Sounds )

In recent years, of the three branches of Phonetics, the most highly established and quickly developed branch/field is Articulatory Phonetics which explains how the different types of speech sounds are produced by the human vocal apparatus and how they are articulated by vocal organs via interaction of different physiological complexes. Its approach is largely based on the analysis of the movements or positions of various organs of the vocal tract during the process of the production of speech sounds in which almost half of the human body participates.

Generally, Articulatory Phonetics is broadly concerned with the understanding of the transformation of aerodynamic energy (the airflow through the vocal tract) into acoustic energy (the variation in the air pressure) which is then perceived by the auditory system as sound.

Furthermore, it also presents the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Chart that shows the standard transcription or a unique phonetic symbol for every distinctive speech sound in an accurate form.

How Speech Sounds are Produced

The process of the production of sounds involves a high integration and coordination between various systems of the human body that participate in this act by which air in the lungs is transformed into meaningful speech. In the following chain, it can be observed how a sound is produced step by step.

So, speech is produced by bringing air from the lungs to the trachea and then to the larynx (respiration), where the vocal folds may allow the air to pass through freely or may vibrate to make a sound (phonation) then the airflow is shaped to form sound by the articulators in the mouth or nose (resonation/articulation). In a nutshell, regular speech depends on four essential processes of speech:

Four Processes of Speech Production

Respiratory Process – Motor:

This process comprises the lungs and the muscles that supply air and the windpipe. The function of the respiratory system in relation to the production of speech sounds is to set an outflowing airstream, initiated by the lungs to utilize for speech production, into motion through the vocal tract.

Phonatory Process – Vibrator (Laryngeal Phase):

This process consists of the larynx and the vocal cords. Its role is to determine the position of the space between the vocal cord when the airstream that is released by the lungs, flows through the windpipe and then passes through the larynx where it vibrates the soft lining inside the vocal folds or passes freely without vibration to produce the voiced or voiceless sound respectively.

Resonatory Process – Resonator (Pharyngeal Phase):

This process relies on the state of the velum and pharynx. It indicates the change in the resonance of the vocal tone when the airflow travels up through oral or nasal pharyngeal origins. It is an ‘open space system’ as it is made up of the open spaces within the throat, mouth, and nose.

The Articulatory Process – Enunciator (Supralaryngeal Phase):

This process refers to the vocal tract (pharynx, soft palate, hard palate, teeth ridge, tongue, lips etc). It plays its part in the modification of sound that is created by the airstream, phonation, and oral-nasal system. When the airflow passes through the vocal tract, it is shaped by the articulators in the oral cavity to generate particular sounds.

To sum up, Articulatory Phonetics is segregated into four stages or processes of production of speech, also known as the ‘main components of speech mechanism’ that are involved in making sounds, although all of them work together in the production.