BREIF DESCRIPTION ON ORGANS OF SPEECH
Introduction
For the production of speech sounds, as indeed for the production of any sounds, there must be some disturbance in the air. Such disturbance, in the case of speech sounds, is provided by the movement of certain organs of the body such as the muscles of the chest, the vocal cords, the tongue, the lips and so on. This disturbance, in the form of sound waves, travels to the ear of the listener, who interprets the waves as sounds.
The organs of speech, and their speech functions, can best be described under three systems: the respiratory system, the phonatory system, and the articulatory system.
The Respiratory System
The respiratory system comprises the lungs, the muscles of the chest, and the windpipe (also called trachea).
The Phonatory System
The airstream released by the lungs undergoes several modifications before it goes out into the atmosphere through the vocal cords and larynx. The first such modification is effected in the trachea.
The Articulatory System
After passing through the larynx, the airstream is further modified by the various shapes assumed by the organs of speech lying above the larynx, before it passes out into the atmosphere; and every such modification affects the quality of the sound produced. The organs constituting the articulatory system are : The Pharynx, The Lips, The Teeth, The Teeth Ridge, The Hard Palate, The Soft Palate, The Uvula, The Togue