A speech mechanism or speech production is essential to language functioning, as it serves as the primary means of linguistic communication. There are two applications for it. In either case, it may be written or spoken. As a matter of fact, the spoken word has a more significant impact than the written word. Linguistics refers to the systematic study of the language.
The field of phonetics is one of the divisions of linguistics that deals with the medium of speech.
Additionally, The process of creating, disseminating, and receiving speech sounds. In this section, we will explore the subject of speech mechanisms.
What is speech and speech mechanism
A speech mechanism is the system of psycho-physiological preparations that enables a human being to make meaningful utterances and comprehend the speech of another.
There are four processes involved in the creation of speech
1.Respiration
It is essential to recognize the difference between speech and regular breathing. Approximately, A person breathes twelve times per minute daily without even thinking about it. As our level of activity increases, some individuals believe that we take the breath in and out approximately twenty thousand times per day.
The process of breathing while speaking differs. We must breathe in as much as is comfortable before we are able to exhale the air in very small, carefully regulated amounts. In addition to controlling the chest, we must also control the lungs.
Speaking while breathing requires effective growth and regulation of the structures and muscles utilized for speech. Additionally, speech breathing is also connected to our message since it determines how much air we let out of our lungs while speaking.
Our phrasing and pauses, along with the number of words we wish to say, all contribute to how much oxygen we need to exhale when speaking. Moreover, how we speak, such as whispering, yelling and talking loudly. It also involved speaking quietly, slowly, etc. As a result, these will affect the amount, speed, and power of the air we exhale.
Affecting respiration causes numerous medical problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and illness-related weakness. As we age, our control over breathing decreases for respiration. Others have neurological problems that impact the control of muscles, like cerebral palsy. Other individuals have improperly developed speech and breathing systems, such as undeveloped lungs.
2.Phonation
The production of vocal sounds and speech is known as phonation. It may appear that vocal expression is effortless and easy. Laryngeal muscles and ligaments form a delicate and complicated system.
Many muscles work together in the larynx to stop forward airflow. As a result of the vocal folds joining together and vibrating, the air vibrates. Voice is what we hear.
The following video demonstrates how voice-overs are performed. An individual has a camera and light inside a pipe placed in their nose. Additionally, it extends down the back of the throat to the larynx.
3.Resonance
During voice production, resonance appears as sound vibrations travel through the pharynx, oral cavity, and nasal cavity.Speech and voice quality are determined by the balance of sound vibrations in these areas.
Some noises have voices, but I can’t hear them, so they don’t have voices. Whether it is voiced or voiceless, the air will reach the mouth or nose after being forced into the pharynx. However, this may occur depending on how sound is produced and how the soft palate moves.
The soft palate will remain down to allow air to pass through the nasopharynx and into the nose. The soft palate is lifted when making a sound that requires air to exit the mouth, blocking the airway to the nose. Moreover, the following pictures illustrate how the soft palate moves.
4.Articulation
Articulation is the process by which sound is produced. It takes coordinated movements of the lips, tongue, teeth, roof of the mouth, and lungs to make sounds. In addition to nerves and muscles, speech is controlled by many different mechanisms.
In the process of leaving the mouth or nose, the air articulates. The sound waves are molded and altered to resemble the spoken sounds we wish to create. According to produce vowels, the tongue glides up and down. It also make forward and backward and changes the shape of its cup as required.
The soft palate, throat, lips, tongue, and cheeks move to create the consonants. Additionally, the stop of the airflow and produce, the tongue tip pushes up toward the palate. To stop airflow and produce, the tongue root moves backward to contact the palate and throat.
Organ of speech
Lips, tongue, teeth, palate, nasal, uvula, oral cavities, and vocal cords are all speech organs of our body. However, humans can produce an infinite variety of sounds by manipulating their speech organs differently.
Parts of Speech
- Tongue
- Lips
- Teeth
- Alveolar ridge
- Hard palate
- Velum
- Uvula
- Glottis
Tongue
Among all the speech organs, the tongue is considered to be the most important. The tongue is divided into five sections which are tip, blade, front, back and root.
Lips
As an organ of speech, the lips produce three main speech sounds labials, bilabials, and labiodentals. As a result, the lower and upper lips are both crucial to the creation of speech sounds.
Teeth
Similarly to the lips, the teeth are essential components of the speech organs. Both the upper and lower teeth are used to produce dental and labio-dental consonant sounds.
Alveolar ridge
This is the space between the hard palate and upper front teeth. As a result, the tongue’s blade and the alveolar ridge are employed to create speech sounds.
Hard palate
At the roof of the mouth, there is a bong plate. There are certain noises that can only be produced when the tongue and hard palate contact. It is d, t, and j.
Pharynx
The anatomy of the pharynx (throat). A hollow tube called the pharynx extends from the back of the nose down the neck and ends at the top of the trachea and esophagus. Moreover, Pharynx consists of three components: nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx.
Role of the Nervous System
There are a number of diseases and ailments that may affect your nervous system. It is difficult for a damaged nerve to communicate. Sometimes it is so broken that it is entirely incapable of sending or receiving messages. A nerve injury may cause pain, numbness, or pins-and-needles sensations. There is a possibility that you will have difficulty moving the afflicted area.
A variety of factors can cause nerve injuries. Nerve damage can be caused by a variety of factors, including following:
Disease
Infections, malignancies, and autoimmune conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis can all affect the nervous system. Diabetic neuropathy can cause tingling and pain in the legs and feet. A disease known as multiple sclerosis affects the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves of the central nervous system.
Stroke
A stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked unexpectedly. Due to insufficient blood supply, there is an extinction of a part of the brain. As a result, it is incapable to speak through nerves. Moreover, A stroke may result in mild to severe nerve damage.
Pressure
When a nerve is squeezed or pinched, it is unable to receive enough blood to function properly. There are a number of factors. Moreover, it may cause nerves to become pinched or trapped, including misuse tumors, or structural issues, such as sciatica.
speech mechanism is an important part of speech. It helps people communicate with one another in a clear and understood way.
