Description of Speech Sound - Nasals

 

Description of Speech Sound

Nasals 

In phonetics, nasals are a specific category of speech sounds, also known as consonants. They are produced by allowing air to escape through the nasal cavity while obstructing the airflow through the oral cavity. Nasals are distinctive sounds as they involve a unique resonance in the nasal passages, resulting in a characteristic "nasal" quality.

The main features of nasals can be broken down into several components:

 

Articulation: Nasal consonants are produced by raising the soft palate (velum) to close off the oral cavity while simultaneously lowering the velum to open the nasal cavity. This allows air to escape through the nose while being blocked from flowing through the mouth. The specific place of articulation (where the obstruction occurs) varies depending on the particular nasal sound.

 

Voicing: Nasals can be either voiced or voiceless. Voiced nasals involve the vocal cords vibrating during articulation, producing a voiced sound. Voiceless nasals, on the other hand, do not involve vocal cord vibration and are produced without voicing.

 

Place of Articulation: Nasals can be further classified based on where the obstruction occurs in the vocal tract. The most common nasals in English are:

 

Bilabial Nasals: Articulated with both lips coming together (e.g., [m] as in "mice").

 

Alveolar Nasals: The tongue contacts the alveolar ridge (the area just behind the upper front teeth) (e.g., [n] as in "nice").

 

Velar Nasals: The back of the tongue contacts the soft palate/velum (e.g., [ŋ] as in "sing").

 

Symbol representation: In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), nasals are represented with the letter 'n' for the alveolar nasal, 'm' for the bilabial nasal, and 'ŋ' for the velar nasal.

 

Oral and Nasal Airflow: Nasal sounds allow air to escape through the nose while nasalizing the vowel or consonant that follows. The airflow through the nose creates an acoustic resonance that is distinct from purely oral sounds.

 

It's important to note that not all languages have the same set of nasal sounds, and the occurrence and phonetic inventory of nasals can vary between languages. For example, some languages may lack certain nasals or have additional nasal sounds not present in English.

 

In summary, nasals are a class of consonant sounds produced by directing airflow through the nasal cavity while obstructing the airflow through the oral cavity. The specific place of articulation and voicing determine the individual nasal sound.

Articulation

Articulation in the context of phonetics refers to the physical movements and positioning of the speech organs (articulators) within the vocal tract to produce speech sounds. The articulatory process involves precise coordination of the lips, tongue, teeth, palate, and other structures to shape the airflow and create distinct sounds.

The main speech organs involved in articulation are:

 

Lips: The lips play a significant role in shaping many speech sounds. They can come together (bilabial sounds), touch the upper teeth (labiodental sounds), or remain apart (for vowels and some consonants).

 

Teeth: The tongue can interact with the upper front teeth to produce certain sounds known as interdental sounds.

 

Alveolar Ridge: This bony ridge is located just behind the upper front teeth. The tongue can contact or get close to the alveolar ridge to produce alveolar sounds.

 

Palate: The palate, also known as the roof of the mouth, has two parts: the hard palate and the soft palate (velum). The hard palate is important for sounds like palatal and velar, while the soft palate can be raised or lowered to allow or block airflow through the nasal cavity, respectively.

 

Tongue: The tongue is a highly flexible organ and plays a crucial role in speech articulation. It can take various positions within the vocal tract to create different sounds. Some of the tongue positions include:

 

Front: The front of the tongue approaches or contacts the alveolar ridge to produce alveolar sounds like [t] and [d].

 

Central: The middle of the tongue may rise to create sounds like [ʃ] (as in "she") and [ʒ] (as in "measure").

 

Back: The back of the tongue approaches the soft palate for velar sounds like [k] and [g].

 

Glottis: The glottis is the space between the vocal cords in the larynx. It is essential for producing certain sounds, particularly voiceless and voiced glottal fricatives like [h] and [ʔ].

 

During speech production, the articulatory process can be described in terms of the following steps:

 

Initiation: The process begins with the initiation of vocal fold vibrations (voiced sounds) or a burst of air (voiceless sounds) as air from the lungs flows through the larynx.

 

Articulatory Posture: The speech organs adopt a specific configuration to produce the desired sound. This involves moving the tongue, lips, and other articulators into the appropriate positions.

 

Oral/Nasal Cavity Resonance: The configuration of the vocal tract shapes the airflow, creating resonant properties that contribute to the distinctiveness of the sound.

 

Airflow and Sound Formation: The airflow is directed and modified by the articulators to create turbulence (fricatives), complete closure (stops/plosives), or partial closure (approximants) to form the speech sound.

 

Sound Release: For stop sounds (e.g., [p], [b], [t], [d]), the articulatory closure is released, allowing the sound to be released audibly.

 

Sound Transcription: The speech sounds can be transcribed using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), a system of symbols that represents the sounds of human language.

 

It's important to note that different languages have varying phonetic inventories, which means that the articulatory process will differ to accommodate the specific sounds of each language. Additionally, accents and individual speech patterns may also influence articulation to some extent.

Voicing

In phonetics, voicing refers to one of the most fundamental features of speech sounds, specifically consonants and some vowels. It involves the vibration or lack of vibration of the vocal cords (also known as vocal folds) during the production of speech sounds. The presence or absence of vocal cord vibration distinguishes between two types of sounds: voiced sounds and voiceless sounds.

 

Voiced Sounds:

Voiced sounds are those in which the vocal cords are set into motion, causing them to vibrate. The vocal cords are held together but not tightly closed, allowing air from the lungs to pass through and set them into motion. This vibration creates a periodic waveform, which results in a distinctive tonal quality to the sound.

Examples of voiced consonants in English include:

[b] as in "bat"

[d] as in "dog"

[g] as in "go"

Voiced vowels are also found in many languages, and they are characterized by the presence of vocal cord vibration during their production.

 

Voiceless Sounds:

Voiceless sounds, on the other hand, are produced without vocal cord vibration. The vocal cords are held apart, allowing air to flow freely through the glottis (the space between the vocal cords) without causing them to vibrate. As a result, voiceless sounds lack the tonal quality present in voiced sounds.

Examples of voiceless consonants in English include:

[p] as in "pat"

[t] as in "top"

[k] as in "cat"

Voiceless vowels are relatively rare, and they are not commonly found in natural languages. Vowels are typically produced with vocal cord vibration.

 

Voicing is a crucial feature in distinguishing between pairs of consonant sounds that are otherwise identical in their place and manner of articulation. For example, compare the following pairs of sounds:

[b] (voiced) vs. [p] (voiceless)

[d] (voiced) vs. [t] (voiceless)

[v] (voiced) vs. [f] (voiceless)

[z] (voiced) vs. [s] (voiceless)

To determine whether a sound is voiced or voiceless, you can place your fingers gently on your throat and produce the sound. If you feel vibrations, the sound is voiced; if there are no vibrations, the sound is voiceless.

The ability to distinguish between voiced and voiceless sounds is crucial in language, as it can significantly affect meaning and communication. For example, in English, the difference between the words "bat" and "pat" lies solely in the voicing of the initial consonant. In some languages, voicing distinctions can have a grammatical function, leading to different word forms or meanings.

Place of Articulation

Place of articulation is a crucial aspect of phonetics that refers to the specific location within the vocal tract where a speech sound is produced. It involves the coordinated movement and positioning of the speech organs to create obstructions or constrictions, resulting in the formation of distinct speech sounds. The different places of articulation give rise to the various consonant sounds found in human languages.

The vocal tract, from the larynx to the lips, can be divided into different regions, each associated with specific places of articulation. Here are some of the main places of articulation and the corresponding speech sounds:

 

Bilabial:

Articulation: Both lips come together to obstruct the airflow.

Examples: [p] as in "pat," [b] as in "bat," [m] as in "man."

 

Labiodental:

Articulation: The bottom lip contacts the upper teeth.

Examples: [f] as in "fun," [v] as in "vet."

 

Interdental (or Dentolabial):

Articulation: The tongue tip is placed between the upper and lower front teeth.

Examples: [θ] as in "think," [ð] as in "this." Note: Interdental sounds are relatively rare and may not be present in all languages.

 

Alveolar:

Articulation: The tongue tip or blade makes contact with or approaches the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge just behind the upper front teeth.

Examples: [t] as in "top," [d] as in "dog," [n] as in "net," [s] as in "see," [z] as in "zebra," [l] as in "light."

 

Palatal:

Articulation: The middle of the tongue approaches the hard palate, which is the front part of the roof of the mouth.

Examples: [ʃ] as in "she," [ʒ] as in "measure," [j] as in "yes" (this sound can also function as a vowel).

 

Velar:

Articulation: The back of the tongue approaches or makes contact with the soft palate (velum), which is the soft part of the roof of the mouth toward the back.

Examples: [k] as in "cat," [g] as in "go," [ŋ] as in "sing."

 

Uvular:

Articulation: The back of the tongue approaches or makes contact with the uvula, which is the fleshy, dangly part at the back of the throat.

Examples: Uvular sounds are less common in languages and may not be present in all languages.

 

Glottal:

Articulation: The vocal cords in the glottis (the space between the vocal cords) either open or close to produce sound.

Examples: [h] as in "hat," [ʔ] as in the sound between the syllables of "uh-oh" (glottal stop).

Each place of articulation creates a distinct constriction or obstruction in the vocal tract, and the airflow is modified accordingly, resulting in the characteristic sound of each consonant. Understanding the place of articulation is essential for phoneticians and linguists when analyzing and describing the phonetic inventory of languages. Additionally, variations in the places of articulation can lead to different speech sounds across languages and dialects.

Symbol representation

Symbol representation, specifically in the context of phonetics and phonology, refers to the use of symbols to represent speech sounds, phonemes, and phonological features in a standardized and consistent manner. The most widely used system for symbol representation is the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), which was developed to provide a universal and precise way to transcribe the sounds of human languages.

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) was first published in 1888 by the International Phonetic Association (IPA), and it has undergone several revisions and updates since then. The IPA contains a set of symbols, each representing a specific speech sound or phonetic feature. These symbols are used by linguists, speech therapists, language teachers, and others to accurately transcribe the pronunciation of words in any language.

Here are some key features of symbol representation in the IPA:

 

Phonetic Symbols: The IPA provides symbols to represent individual speech sounds, including consonants and vowels, as well as diacritics to indicate subtle phonetic variations. For example:

Consonant symbols: [p], [t], [k], [m], [n], [ŋ], [s], [z], [ʃ], [ʒ], etc.

Vowel symbols: [i], [e], [ɑ], [o], [u], [æ], [ə], [ɛ], [ɪ], etc.

Diacritics: Diacritics are small marks added to basic IPA symbols to indicate specific phonetic properties or variations of a sound. They are used to show details such as aspiration, voicing, nasalization, tone, etc. For example:

Aspiration diacritic: [pʰ] for an aspirated [p] sound.

Voicing diacritic: [s̬] for a voiced [s] sound.

Nasalization diacritic: [æ̃] for a nasalized [æ] sound.

 

Suprasegmental Symbols: The IPA also includes symbols for suprasegmental features, which are aspects of speech that extend beyond individual sounds, such as stress, tone, and intonation.

Phonetic Transcription: Using IPA symbols, linguists and phoneticians can transcribe the pronunciation of words in different languages accurately. Phonetic transcription helps capture the specific sounds used in a particular language or dialect and is essential for studying phonetic patterns, dialectal variations, and language acquisition.

Phonetic Alphabet and Spelling: It's important to distinguish the IPA from the regular alphabet used for writing words (e.g., English alphabet). The IPA provides a one-to-one correspondence between symbols and speech sounds, while traditional writing systems like the English alphabet often have irregular spelling and pronunciation rules.

Unicode Support: The IPA symbols are encoded in the Unicode standard, allowing them to be represented in computer systems and fonts. This makes it easier to use and share IPA transcriptions electronically.

By using the IPA, linguists and language researchers can accurately describe and compare the phonetic properties of languages, enabling a better understanding of linguistic diversity and the nature of speech sounds. The IPA plays a central role in the study of phonetics and phonology, making it an invaluable tool for those involved in linguistic research and language-related fields.

Oral and Nasal Airflow

Oral and nasal airflow are two important aspects of speech production that refer to the pathways through which air travels during the articulation of speech sounds. The vocal tract, which includes the oral and nasal cavities, plays a crucial role in shaping the airflow and producing different speech sounds.

Oral Airflow:

Oral airflow is the passage of air through the oral cavity, which includes the mouth and the pharynx. During speech production, most sounds are produced with oral airflow, meaning that the air travels solely through the mouth, and the nasal cavity is blocked off. This occurs when the soft palate (velum) is raised, closing the passage to the nasal cavity and directing the airflow exclusively through the oral cavity.

Sounds that are produced solely with oral airflow are known as oral sounds or oral consonants. Vowels are also considered oral sounds because they are produced without any nasal resonance. Examples of oral sounds include [p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], [f], [s], [z], [m], [n], [l], [r], and many others.

Oral airflow is essential in shaping the vocal tract to produce various speech sounds with different manners and places of articulation. The manipulation of the tongue, lips, and other articulators within the oral cavity determines the specific sound produced.

Nasal Airflow:

Nasal airflow is the passage of air through the nasal cavity. This occurs when the soft palate (velum) is lowered, allowing the air to escape through the nose while the mouth remains closed or partially closed. Sounds produced with nasal airflow are known as nasal sounds or nasal consonants.

Nasal sounds are characterized by a distinctive resonance resulting from the air vibrating in the nasal cavity. This resonance gives nasal sounds their "nasal" quality. In English, nasal consonants are [m], [n], and [ŋ]. Examples of English words with nasal consonants are "man" [mæn], "sun" [sʌn], and "sing" [sɪŋ].

Nasal airflow can also occur during the production of nasalized vowels, where the soft palate is lowered, allowing some of the air to escape through the nose while producing a vowel sound in the oral cavity. However, it's important to note that nasalized vowels are not common in all languages and are relatively rare in comparison to oral vowels.

In summary, oral airflow involves the passage of air solely through the oral cavity, while nasal airflow involves air passing through both the oral and nasal cavities. The manipulation of the soft palate plays a crucial role in directing the airflow and determining whether a sound is oral or nasal. The combination of oral and nasal airflow allows for the production of a wide variety of speech sounds, contributing to the richness and diversity of human languages.