1. Speech chain Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the definition of phonetics?
The study of human speech sounds, including their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory perception, and neurophysiological status.
Phonetics does not involve grammar or written symbols.
Where does the word ‘phonetics’ come from?
Greek φωνή (phōnē), meaning ‘sound’ or ‘voice.’
This highlights the origin of the term in relation to sound.
What is the general anthropic principle?
Since human life exists on Earth, it’s unsurprising that Earth is favorable for human life.
This principle suggests a connection between existence and environmental conditions.
What is the anthropic principle applied to language?
Since language exists in humans, it’s unsurprising that humans are favorable for language.
This indicates a mutual relationship between language and human development.
What system does spoken language use?
The human vocal tract.
The vocal tract includes various anatomical structures involved in speech production.
How long ago was the last common ancestor with chimpanzees?
About 8 million years ago.
This timeframe is significant for understanding human evolution.
When did bipedalism emerge?
About 3.5 million years ago.
Bipedalism is a key evolutionary development in human ancestry.
When did language likely emerge?
Between 200,000–50,000 years ago.
This period marks a significant transition in human communication.
When did written language emerge?
About 5,000 years ago.
The advent of written language represents a major development in human civilization.
What did Edward Sapir say about speech’s form?
Speech is an overlaid function using organs evolved for other purposes.
This reflects on the complexity of speech production.
What limits which sounds are part of human language?
The production system (vocal tract).
Physical capabilities restrict the range of sounds humans can produce.
What limits which sounds humans can hear in language?
The perception system (auditory system).
Auditory capabilities influence language comprehension.
What is the speech chain?
A model showing how an intention in the speaker’s mind becomes understanding in the listener’s mind.
It illustrates the communication process from thought to comprehension.
What is the first stage of the speech chain?
Thought → Articulatory Plan.
This stage involves translating thoughts into a plan for articulation.
What is the articulatory plan for /k/?
Move tongue dorsum to velum.
This describes the specific tongue movement for producing the sound /k/.
What is the articulatory plan for /æ/?
Open jaw, move tongue body down and forward.
The plan outlines the necessary movements for this vowel sound.
What is the articulatory plan for /t/?
Move tongue tip to alveolar ridge.
This movement is essential for producing the /t/ sound.
What is the second stage of the speech chain?
Articulatory Plan → Articulation.
This stage involves executing the plan to produce speech sounds.
What body parts are involved in articulation?
Larynx, jaw, tongue, lips, soft palate.
These anatomical structures work together for speech production.
What is the third stage of the speech chain?
Articulation → Sound.
This stage focuses on the physical production of sound.
What tools are used to visualize sound?
Waveform, spectrogram, pitch track.
These tools help analyze and represent sound properties.
What is the fourth stage of the speech chain?
Sound → Auditory Response.
This stage involves how sounds are perceived by listeners.
What is the fifth stage of the speech chain?
Auditory Response → Sounds/Words.
This stage connects perception to the understanding of language.
What kind of system is speech cognition?
A probabilistic system.
This indicates that speech processing involves uncertainty and variability.
