Organs of Speech and their functions- Linguistics- English literature.

Organs of speech

Speech Organs

Introduction: Organs of Speech :-

The use of spoken language involves a complicated series of operations. The concept in the speaker's brain is given a linguistic form, which is communicated by the nerves to the speech organs.

As a result of the movement of these speech organs, some disturbances are set up in the air and sound waves are emerged. These sound waves are received by the listener's ear. And listener's mind interpret these waves into a meaningful words and the process of speech is completed. 

Thus with the help of some organs the speech is produced and these organs are called the organs of speech. 

Now, we can give the definition of the Organs of Speech as follows: 

 "the organs which are involved in the production of speech are called organs of speech."

Organs of speech diagram

Note also read: theme of Savitri by Aurobindo.

Various Organs of Speech :-

Figure-1 shows the various organs of speech. The wind-pipe carrying the air stream from lungs is known as 'Trachea'. At the top of the trachea is 'Larynx', which contains the vocal cords. 

The vocal cords can be brought together to close the passage completely. This is what we do when we cough. Vocal cords play a prominent role in preventing water or food entering  into the wind pipe by coming together and blocking the passage. When we breathe out the vocal cords are wide apart, the opening  between them is called the 'Glottis'. 

If the vocal cords are held close together rather loosely, they vibrate when the air from lungs passes between them. This vibration that is closing and opening of the glottis at a fast rate produces a musical note called voice. 

Speech sounds can be either called voiced or voiceless, as in the case of /z/ and  /s/. Those sounds which are produced with glottis being wide apart are called voiceless sound as they not produce any buzz or vibration. While those sounds which are produced when vocal cords are held together loosely are called voiced sounds as they create vibration or buzz. We can see this while uttering /zzzz/ and /ssss/. Hence /s/ is a voiceless sound and /z/ is a voiced sound.

Read more:-

1. What is Phonetics and Phonology?
2. What is RP in English language?
3. Difference between Synchronic and diachronic linguistics/ approach.
4. Approaches to the study of a language: Synchronic and diachronic linguistics.}

Organs of Speech in Mouth Cavity :-

The shape of mouth cavity depends on the position of the tongue and the lips. The roof of the mouth is in concave shape and is divided into three parts- the teeth ridge, just behind the upper teeth, the hard palate and the soft palate. 

The soft palate can be lowered so that the air from the lungs can come through the nose. It creates nasal sounds. If we close nostrils we will feel hindrances in the production of nasal sounds. For example/m/ or /n/ are  nasal sounds.  While /a/ or /b/ are the oral sounds. 

The lips can assume various positions. They play more significant role in the production of consonants. Their role for vowels can not be denied either. 

The tongue is the most active organ of speech. It can be said to have three sections - the part opposite to the teeth ridge is called the blade and its end is called tip. The part opposite to the hard palate is called the front and the part opposite to the soft palate is called the back. Various parts of the tongue can be raised towards the roof of the mouth to produce different sounds.

READ MORE:-

1. Registers, dialect and style.
2. Phonemes and allophones.
3. Phonetics and Phonology.

Frequently Asked Questions:-

1) What are the 7 Organs of Speech?

Answer- The seven organs of speech are as follows:-

Teeth, lips, tongue, uvula, palate, oral and nasal cavities, and vocal cords.

2) What are the three stages of speech mechanism?

Answer- 1) conceptualization,

2) Formulation, 

3) Articulation.

3) What is the vocal organ?

Answer- Larynx.

4) Which are the active organ of speech?

Answer- Tongue, lower lip and glottis.