Speech

• What is the primary purpose of speech?

  To communicate thoughts, memories, and feelings
• How is most speech produced?

  By an air stream from the lungs
• What modifies the air stream during speech production?

  The various organs of speech
• What are the four processes involved in speech sound production?

  Respiration, phonation, resonance, articulation
• What is respiration in the context of speech production?

  • Process of breathing in and out
  • Provides power for speaking
  • Begins at mouth/nose, ends in lungs
  • Involves elevation of ribs
• What structures are involved in respiration for speech?

  Lungs, trachea, bronchi, rib cage, diaphragm
• When do we speak in relation to respiration?

  During expiration
• What is phonation?

  Production of speech sounds by vocal fold vibration
• What structures are involved in the phonatory system?

  Larynx, vocal folds, muscles of the larynx
• What is the glottis?

  The space between the vocal folds
• How does sound production occur in the larynx?

  Through vibration of the vocal folds
• What determines the pitch of the sound produced by vocal folds?

  The rate of vibration of the vocal folds
• What happens to the vocal folds during phonation?

  They vibrate open and closed
• What is resonance in speech production?

  • Quality of voice from sound vibrations
  • Occurs in mouth, throat, and nose
  • Involves oral and nasal cavities
  • Modifies sound through frequency enhancement
• What structures are involved in the resonatory system?

  Oral cavity, nasal cavity, pharyngeal cavities
• What is articulation in speech?

  Formation of clear and distinct sounds
• What structures are involved in the articulatory system?

  Lips, tongue, teeth, jaw, palate
• How are consonants classified by place of articulation?

  • Bilabial: both lips (p, b, m, w)
  • Labiodental: lower lip and upper teeth (f, v)
  • Dental: tongue and upper teeth (-th)
  • Alveolar: tongue and alveolar ridge (t, d, s, z, n, l)
  • Palatal: tongue and palate (j, r, -sh)
  • Velar: back of tongue and velum (k, g, -ng)
  • Glottal: unvoiced vowel (h)
• How are consonants classified by manner of articulation?

  • Stops: complete closure (p, b)
  • Fricatives: incomplete closure (f, s, sh)
  • Nasals: resonate through nasal cavity (m, n)
  • Glides and Liquids: tongue approaches articulation point (l, r, w)
• What are the roles of Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas in speech?

  • Wernicke’s area: language comprehension and formulation
  • Broca’s area: speech production and articulation
  • Arcuate fasciculus: connects both areas
• What is aphasia?

  A language disorder from brain damage
• What causes sensory (fluent) aphasia?

  Damage to Wernicke’s area
• What is motor (non-fluent) aphasia?

  Speech and writing affected, understanding intact
• What is conduction aphasia?

  Damage to arcuate fasciculus; poor repetition
• What is global aphasia?

  Severe left hemisphere infarct; all abilities impaired