Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Mechanisms

Question 1

Respiratory system

Answer 1

Energy Source; Vital to speech production because without a steady supply of air from the lungs, speech would not occur; involves lungs, trachea, rib cage, thorax, abdomen, diaphragm and other major muscle groups

Question 2

Laryngeal system

Answer 2

Voice System; Consists primarily of the larynx

Question 3

Supralaryngeal system

Answer 3

The Filter; Compromised of the pharynx

Question 4

Thoracic cavity

Answer 4

Chest cavity

Question 5

Diaphragm

Answer 5

Major muscle that separates the abdominal cavity from the thoracic cavity

Question 6

External intercostals

Answer 6

Located between the ribs; works with diaphragm to inhale

Question 7

Internal intercostals

Answer 7

Located between ribs and deep to the external intercostals;works with gravity to exhale

Question 8

Sternum

Answer 8

Breast bone

Question 9

Trachea

Answer 9

Windpipe

Question 10

Larynx

Answer 10

Voice box; composed mainly of muscle and cartilages, attaches inferiorly to trachea and superiorly to hyoid bone, important in maintaining air pressure in the thoracic cavity during strenuous activities such as giving birth, heavy object lifting and elimination

Question 11

Hyoid bone

Answer 11

“floating” bone; Broad curtain- like ligament attached to the larynx

Question 12

Vocal folds

Answer 12

Vocal chords; elastic folds of tissue primarily composed of muscles, attach anteriorly to thyroid cartilage and posteriorly to arytenoid cartilages

Question 13

Thyroid catrilage

Answer 13

Most anterior cartilage of the larynx to which the vocal folds attach; more sharply angled in males than in females explaining why males have them more prominently

Question 14

Arytenoid cartilage

Answer 14

Attaches to the superior portion of the cricoid cartilage

Question 15

Cricoid cartilage

Answer 15

Encircles the larynx; looks somewhat like a class ring

Question 16

Glottis

Answer 16

Space between the vocal folds

Question 17

Subglottal pressure

Answer 17

“air pressure”

Question 18

Bernoulli’s Effect

Answer 18

Aerodynamic principle that occurs when the rapid flow of air through the glottis causes a simultaneous drop in air pressure, resulting in the vocal folds being sucked together

Question 19

Phonation

Answer 19

The vibration of the vocal folds in creation of a vocal sound

Question 20

Voiced phonemes

Answer 20

Sounds produced with vocal fold vibration; /z/, /b/, /r/, /m/, /v/, /l/, /d/, /g/

Question 21

Voiceless phonemes

Answer 21

Sounds produced without vocal fold vibration; /s/, /f/, /p/, /t/, /h/

Question 22

Abduction

Answer 22

In quiet breathing the vocal folds remain apart to allow airflow from the lungs through the glottis to the oral and nasal cavities

Question 23

Adduction

Answer 23

In producing voiced phonemes the vocal folds are brought together

Question 24

Fundamental Frequency

Answer 24

Basic rate of vibration in the vocal folds; during phonation the vocal folds open and close at the rate of 125 times per second in males and 215 times per second in females; responsible for habitual pitch

Question 25

Habitual Pitch

Answer 25

Inherent voice pitch

Question 26

Epiglottis

Answer 26

"Guardian of the airways"; Cartilage of the larynx that diverts food away from the trachea and toward the esophagus to “avoid things going down the wrong pipe”

Question 27

Monotone

Answer 27

“one tone”; rarely changes voice pitch

Question 28

Vocal tract

Answer 28

Throat, nasal cavity and the articulators; length of vocal tract to lips is about 17 cm (almost 7 inches) in the average adult male and 14-15 cm in the average adult female

Question 29

Eustachian tubes

Answer 29

connects the nasopharynx with the middle ear system on the other side; important in equalizing changes in the air

Question 30

Nares

Answer 30

nostrils

Question 31

Nasal cavity

Answer 31

Begins at the nostrils and continues to the pharynx, directly inferior to the nasal cavity separated by the palate the oral cavity

Question 32

Oral cavity

Answer 32

Mouth; begins at the lips and continues posteriorly to the oropharynx

Question 33

Laryngopharynx

Answer 33

Portion of the pharynx adjoining the larynx

Question 34

Nasopharynx

Answer 34

Adjacent to the posterior portion of the nasal cavity

Question 35

Oropharynx

Answer 35

Adjacent to the posterior portion of the oral cavity

Question 36

Articulation

Answer 36

Process of the airstream from the lungs and the accompanying acoustic vibrations is directed to the oral and nasal cavities, the vibrations are modified by the speech organs to produce the individual phonemes of language

Question 37

Maxilla

Answer 37

Upper jaw

Question 38

Mandible

Answer 38

Supports the lower lip; active in speech production

Question 39

Bilabial

Answer 39

Phonemes produced with both lips

Question 40

Central incisors

Answer 40

Top front teeth

Question 41

Labiodental sounds

Answer 41

Phonemes that involve the articulation of the lower lip and teeth

Question 42

Interdental sounds

Answer 42

Phonemes that are produced by the tongue and teeth

Question 43

Alveolar ridge

Answer 43

Gum ridge of the maxilla: bony ridge containing the sockets of teeth

Question 44

Hard Palate

Answer 44

Palate; bony structure located just posterior to the alveolar ridge

Question 45

Palatal sounds

Answer 45

Sounds produced in the conjunction with the palate and tongue

Question 46

Velum

Answer 46

Soft palate; muscular structure located directly posterior to the hard palate

Question 47

Velar sounds

Answer 47

Produced by articulation of the soft palate with the back of the tongue

Question 48

Velopharyngeal Closure

Answer 48

The velum acts as a switching mechanism that directs the flow of air coming from the lungs and larynx. When the velum is raised, it contacts the back wall of the pharynx, which closes off the nasopharynx from the oropharynx.

Question 49

Glottal sounds

Answer 49

Sounds produced when airstream from the lungs is forced through the opening between the vocal folds. ex: /h/

Question 50

Lingual sounds

Answer 50

Sounds produced with the tongue

Question 51

Tongue root

Answer 51

Arises from the anterior wall of the pharynx and is attached to the mandible

Question 52

Tongue tip

Answer 52

Apex; tip of the tongue

Question 53

Tongue blade

Answer 53

Lies immediately posterior to the tongue tip

Question 54

Tongue dorsum

Answer 54

entire tongue body

Question 55

Resonance

Answer 55

Deals with the vibratory properties of a structure

Question 56

Quality

Answer 56

The perceptual character of a sound based on its acoustic resonance patterns

Question 57

Timbre

Answer 57

sound quality

Question 58

Describe the processes of inhalation and exhalation and the anatomical structures involved in each one.

Answer 58

During inhalation, the lungs expand allowing more room for the air molecules to move around – negative pressure. Following exhalation, the lungs have contracted resulting in less room for the air molecules to move around – positive pressure.

Question 59

What is the Bernoulli Effect? What is its importance in the production of speech?

Answer 59

Aerodynamic principle that occurs when the rapid flow of air through the glottis causes a simultaneous drop in air pressure, resulting in the vocal folds being sucked together. It is important is understanding air pressure.

Question 60

Define phonation and tell the anatomical structures involved in phonation

Answer 60

Phonation is the vibration of the vocal folds in creation of a vocal sound. It involves speech organs in the oral cavity like the larynx and “Adam’s apple”.

Question 61

Which structures comprise the vocal tract?

Answer 61

Throat, nasal cavity and the articulators, oral cavity and pharynx

Question 62

What is the pharynx, and what are its three major components?

Answer 62

The pharynx directs airflow from the larynx to the oral and nasal cavities. It connects the esophagus and can be divided into three major components: the laryngopharynx, the oropharynx, and nasopharynx

Question 63

What is the larynx, and what are its major cartilaginous components?

Answer 63

The larynx is also known as the voice box. It is composed mainly of muscle and cartilages and attaches inferiorly to trachea and superiorly to hyoid bone. Its major cartilaginous components are the thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid and epiglottis.

Question 64

What is articulation?

Answer 64

Process of the airstream from the lungs and the accompanying acoustic vibrations is directed to the oral and nasal cavities and the vibrations are modified by the speech organs to produce the individual phonemes of language.

Question 65

Of what importance is resonance in the process of speech production?

Answer 65

Resonance is important because it deals with the vibratory properties of a structure.

Question 66

What is the difference between an oral and nasal sound?

Answer 66

When the velum is raised it blocks airflow through the oral passage which are oral sounds. When the velum is lowered the air flows through the nasal passage.

Question 67

Why does an adult male have a different habitual pitch than an adult female?

Answer 67

The fundamental frequency is lower due to the vocal folds vibrating slower. The pitch of the male voice is perceive lower due to the lower fundamental frequency.