How We Speak

This guide is an easy-to-understand semi-advanced explanation exploring how we speak. The easily bored will be glad to know that it features numerous inexpensive practical activities.

---

The first thing we do when we speak is breathing in through our noses. To make room for this sudden intake in our air, our "soft palate" which is simply the soft bit on the top and back of our mouths (you should be able to feel this with your tongue).

Practical Activity Stand facing a mirror with your as mouth wide open as possible and put your tongue flat on the floor of your mouth. Ensure that you can clearly see the inside of your mouth. Breathe in through your nose and watch - the part moving down is your soft palate. It should be noticeable; if you can't see it make your mouth wider open; flatten your tongue as much as possible and take deeper breaths in.

The air then moves down to your lungs. To make room for this three things happen: your intercostal muscles contract; your diaphragm (at the bottom of the ribcage) flattens and your ribs move upwards and outwards. Your diaphragm is connected to your ribs.

On exhalation, the air passes against your two vocal folds (or vocal cords) and a very bland sound is made. Depending upon your age, gender and health, they may open and close anything between 60 and 1,000 times per second.

In order to produce a useful and articulate sound, the breath is carried through various hollow spaces: the pharynx (pharyngeal resonator), the nose (nasal resonator) and the mouth (oral resonator).

Pharynx

This the long, muscular tube that extends upwards from the larynx and is the first resonator the voice must past through. The pharynx can change both its size and shape which affects the quality of the sound produced. During yawning it increases and whilst the neck or throat is tense, it decreases.

Practical Activity Yawn and say a word at the same time. This word will have too much pharyngeal resonance.

Mouth

The tongue is used to do much of the work in the mouth. It is attached to the wall of the pharynx and is very able at making precise and quick movements. The movements are centred in different areas: the tip 9point of the tongue), the blade (below the upper tooth ridge), the centre (partly underneath the hard palate and partly underneath the soft palate) and the back (underneath the soft palate).

Practical Activity Stand facing a mirror with your as mouth wide open as possible and put your tongue flat on the floor of your mouth. Ensure that you can clearly see the inside of your mouth. Breathe in through your nose and watch - the part moving down is your soft palate. It should be noticeable; if you can't see it make your mouth wider open; flatten your tongue as much as possible and take deeper breaths in.

The soft palate is able to move upwards and downwards the allow room for our to move through the nose during inhalation (relaxing) and to allow air and sound to flow through the mouth during speech (tensing).

Nose

Will be used when:

• The vibrating column of air passes through the open soft palate to the nasal cavity. (This only happens in English on "m" "n" "ng")
  
• The vibrating column of air pitches on to the hard palate (behind the upper teeth). The vibrations are carried through the hard palate to the nasal cavities. (This only happens with vowel sounds).

This will not work when you have a cold and the nasal cavities are blocked.

Practical Activity Hold you nose and say "mum", "nose" and "sing". You should hear "bub", "dose" and "sig". This is because there is no nasal resonance.

---

And that is, briefly, a guide about how we speak. If you have any questions, preferably not too advanced feel free to ask.

 

 

 

Reply

Interesting stuff. While learning english a lot of attention isnt drawn to details such as this. But during learning hindi and korean i've realized many other languages really emphasize exactly where the tongue is supposed to be etc.

Reply

Very good work electriic ink. I found the practical activities particularly interesting, and they were a great way to demonstrate the concepts you have posted about. Since you seem to know a lot about resonance, I hope you might be able to answer this question for me: What can one do in order to increase nasal resonance on vowels (specifically, while singing)?

Reply