Articulatory phonetics
Articulatory phonetics is understanding how we use our mouth, tongue, and throat to make different sounds when we speak. Just like a musical instrument, our voice box (larynx) and mouth work together to create sounds that we hear as speech or language.
When we speak, our lungs push air out of our body and it passes through our voice box. Our voice box or larynx contains our vocal cords (vocal folds) that vibrate when the air passes through. The sound produced is further molded and shaped by various parts in our mouth, for example, our lips, tongue, teeth, and soft palate.
The tongue is a very important part of our mouth and is the primary articulator of speech sounds. It can change its position in the mouth to create different sounds. For example, when we say /b/ or /p/ sounds, our lips come together and stop the airflow for a brief moment, and when they are released, they create the sound of the letter.
Similarly, when we say /k/ or /g/ sounds, the back of our tongue raises at the roof of our mouth, causing a constriction, and then suddenly releases creating the sound.
By understanding the different movements and positions of our mouth, tongue, teeth, and throat, we can not only use the right sounds and phrases but also make sure that the people we are communicating with can understand us clearly. That is why articulatory phonetics is so important in learning and communicating in languages.
When we speak, our lungs push air out of our body and it passes through our voice box. Our voice box or larynx contains our vocal cords (vocal folds) that vibrate when the air passes through. The sound produced is further molded and shaped by various parts in our mouth, for example, our lips, tongue, teeth, and soft palate.
The tongue is a very important part of our mouth and is the primary articulator of speech sounds. It can change its position in the mouth to create different sounds. For example, when we say /b/ or /p/ sounds, our lips come together and stop the airflow for a brief moment, and when they are released, they create the sound of the letter.
Similarly, when we say /k/ or /g/ sounds, the back of our tongue raises at the roof of our mouth, causing a constriction, and then suddenly releases creating the sound.
By understanding the different movements and positions of our mouth, tongue, teeth, and throat, we can not only use the right sounds and phrases but also make sure that the people we are communicating with can understand us clearly. That is why articulatory phonetics is so important in learning and communicating in languages.
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