Speech Science VIII

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Speech Science VIII
Version WS 2007-8

• The articulation behind the acoustics

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Topics

• How do we create the resonating cavities?
• Anatomy physiology of articulation
• Systematic categorization of (German) sounds.
• Reading BHR, Chap. 5 or 6 (artic.
  Parts) Kent, Chap. 5, especially pp. 171-194
  P.-M. 1.4, pp. 43-59

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Vowels vs. consonants

• Vowels have to form the vocal tract into a tube
  with one (?,a, ?) or two (most other vowels)
  main cavities.
• For this the tongue dorsum (which comprises the
  mass of the tongue) is moved up and down,
  backwards forwards,
• Consonants have to form an obstruction to the
  airflow.
• For this any constrictable part of the vocal
  tract is used the lips, tongue tip blade,
  tongue dorsum, tongue root, vocal folds

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Tongue shapes for vowels (a reminder)
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How does the tongue changeshape?
Längsmuskel
Kinn-Zungenmuskel
The tongue consistsof muscle fibres.Tensed
musclesget shorter andthicker. These muscles
change the Formof the tongue.PARTS of the
muscles can be tensed too.
Senkrechtmuskel
Quermuskel
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How the tongue changes position
Schädelbasis-Zungenmuskel
Gaumen-Zungen-M.
Oberer Längs-M.
(Shape and
position)
Unterer Längs-M.
Kinn-Zungen-M. (Shape
and
position)
Zungenbein-Zungen-M.
Unterkiefer
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Important muscles for corner vowels 1 i
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Important muscles for corner vowels 2A
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Important muscles for corner vowels 3 u
The styloglossus pulls the mass of the tongue
upwards and backwards
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But the lips also determine the acoustics
Lifting muscles
round the mouth muscle
Lowering muscles
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Some more detail?
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German vowel qualities and symbols
pure vowels
diphthongs
?
(E?)
?
a/a?
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Now for the consonants

• Where and what are the obstructions to the
  airflow?
• They can occur throughout the vocal tract.
• They can be of very different kinds
• The tongue and lips are important (see
  vowels)but the velum also plays an imprtant role

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Articulators places of articulation
The places of articulationare at the top and
the articulators (movable)are at the bottom
The most frequent terms for places of
articulation are marked. The articulators are
notoften specified (exceptfor labio-)
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A mid-sagittal cross-section
front back
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Articulators consonants

• To form the constrictions for consonants,
  articulators have to be raised to a place of
  articulation
• The jaw is (surprisingly) NOT the main factor
  which determines the proximity of the
  articulators (observe jaw during the b closure
  for bi and ba
• Consider what muscles move ....
• the lips together
• the tongue tip to the alveolar ridge
• the tongue dorsum to the palate

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Controlling the velum
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The pharynx complex
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Oral and nasal sounds
raised velum
lowered velum
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Constriction
complete closure, no acoustic energy
turbulent airflow
no turbulence
affricate sequence of plosivefricative
trill vibrating articulator
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Place of articulation (German)
IPA symbol
place-name
Articulator
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Manner of articulation (German)
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Summary

• We have seen how our articulators shape the
  articulatory configurations required for
  different sounds
• We have categorized the sounds (of German)
  according to place of articulation and according
  to manner of articulation
• We have seen the IPA symbols that are used to
  represent the sounds.