Articulatory organs
Articulatory organs are the parts of the human vocal tract that we use to produce speech sounds. They are responsible for shaping the sound waves that travel from our lungs to our mouths, creating the different sounds that make up language.
These organs include:
The larynx: This is the voice box, which contains the vocal cords. The vocal cords vibrate to produce sound, and the pitch of the voice is determined by how fast they vibrate.
The tongue: The tongue is the most important articulatory, and it can be moved into many positions to produce different sounds.
The teeth: The teeth are used to produce fricatives, such as the “f” and “s” sounds.
The alveolar ridge: This is the bony ridge behind the upper front teeth. It is used to produce many sounds, including alveolar stops, such as the “t” and “d” sounds, and alveolar fricatives, such as the “s” and “z” sounds.
The hard palate: This is the roof of the mouth behind the alveolar ridge. It is used to produce velar sounds, such as the “k” and “g” sounds.
The soft palate: This is the fleshy part of the roof of the mouth behind the hard palate. It can be raised to close off the nasal cavity, which is necessary for producing nasal sounds, such as the “m” and “n” sounds.
The uvula: This is the little flap of tissue that hangs down from the soft palate. It can also be used to close off the nasal cavity.
The lips: The lips are used to produce labial sounds, such as the “p” and “b” sounds, and labial fricatives, such as the “f” and “v” sounds.
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