Physiology of Articulation & Resonance – Key Vocabulary

Flashcards cover major vocabulary terms related to instrumentation, anatomy, muscle function, speech production theories, developmental milestones, articulatory classifications, prosthetics, and clinical pathologies discussed in the lecture.

Affricate

Combination of stop followed by fricative release, as in /tʃ/ and /dʒ/.

Alveolar Consonants

Consonants produced by the tongue moving towards or touching the alveolar ridge, like /t/, /d/.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Progressive neurodegenerative disease destroying motor neurons, leading to severe speech dysarthria.

Apraxia of Speech

Motor planning disorder causing inconsistent, effortful speech sound errors without muscle weakness.

Approximant (Glide)

Articulators approach but do not touch; includes /w, j/ glides.

Articulatory Movement

Process of forming speech sounds by moving the articulators.

Assimilation

Modification of an articulator’s movement to become more like a neighboring sound (context-driven change).

Auditory Discrimination

The ability to recognize and distinguish between different speech sounds.

Babinski Reflex

Infant reflex where stroking the sole of the foot causes the toes to fan out and the foot to turn inward.

Bilabial

Articulation involving closure of both lips (e.g., /p, b, m/).

Cephalocaudal Development

Motor maturation progressing from head control down to legs.

Cephalocaudal Development (Detailed)

Motor development progressing from the head down to the feet.

Central Control Theory

Model suggesting that speech is planned and executed by a central processor.

Cheek Stroke Reflex

Infant reflex involving turning the head towards a touch on the cheek.

Class III Malocclusion

Alignment with lower teeth protruding beyond upper teeth (underbite), influencing speech.

Class II Malocclusion

Dental misalignment where upper teeth significantly overlap lower teeth (overbite), affecting articulation.

Coarticulation

Simultaneous adjustment of multiple articulators so that one phoneme influences another within speech.

Coordinated Articulator System

A coordinated system of articulators working together to produce speech.

Deglutition

The act of swallowing.

DIVA Model (Directions Into Velocities of Articulators)

Neural network model explaining speech acquisition through feedforward and feedback control of articulators.

Dynamic Action Theory

Model viewing articulators as a coordinated effector system that self-organizes to achieve speech goals.

Electromyography (EMG)

Instrumentation that records electrical activity of muscles via surface or intramuscular electrodes to study articulatory movement strength and timing.

Electropalatography (EPG)

Technique using a sensor-laden palate prosthesis to record tongue-to-palate contact patterns during speech.

Gamma Motor Neuron

A type of motor neuron that innervates intrafusal muscle fibers.

Galant Reflex

Infant spinal reflex: stroking lower back causes trunk curving toward stimulus.

Genioglossus

Large tongue muscle that protrudes and depresses the tongue; anterior fibers retract, posterior fibers push forward.

Glottal

Constriction at the vocal folds to make /h/ or glottal stop /ʔ/.

Golgi Tendon Organ

Proprioceptive receptor sensing muscle tension, contributing to articulatory precision.

Inferior Longitudinal Muscle

Innermost tongue muscle that depresses the tongue tip, used by some speakers for /s/ production.

Interdental

Tongue tip placed between upper and lower teeth for fricatives /θ, ð/.

Intrafusal Muscle Fiber

A type of muscle fiber found in muscle spindles.

Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI)

Clinical device that objectively measures tongue and lip strength and endurance.

Jaw Elevation

Movement of the jaw closer to the maxilla.

Jaw Depression

Movement of the jaw away from the maxilla.

Labiodental

Articulation created by upper teeth contacting lower lip, producing fricatives /f, v/.

Levator Veli Palatini

Primary muscle that elevates the soft palate to achieve velopharyngeal closure for non-nasal sounds.

Liquid

Oral resonant consonants /l, r/ characterized by relatively open vocal tract.

Mandibular Elevators

Muscles (temporalis, masseter, medial pterygoid) containing spindles for precise jaw closing during speech.

Mandibular Depressors

Muscles (digastric, mylohyoid, geniohyoid) that lower the jaw; lack muscle spindles and rely on TMJ sensory input.

Mastication

The act of chewing food.

Mechanoreceptors

Receptors for pressure, vibration, and touch.

Mentalis Muscle

Lower-lip muscle contributing to lip elevation and rapid movement attached to the mobile mandible.

Moro Reflex

Infant reflex of spreading arms and legs and crying in response to a loud noise or sudden movement.

Muscle Spindle

Sensory receptor detecting muscle length changes, present in articulatory muscles for fine control.

Nasal (Manner)

Airflow redirected through the nasal cavity by lowering the velum, producing /m, n, ŋ/.

Nasalometer

Instrument that measures acoustic energy exiting the nose to quantify nasality or nasal emission.

Nasometry

Technique for measuring acoustic energy from the nose to analyze nasality.

Optopalatography

Palatal contact recording method that employs optical sensors to detect tongue placement.

Oral Reflex

Infant reflex involving head turning and sucking when the mouth area is stimulated.

Orbicularis Oris

Circular muscle of the lips responsible for lip closure and shaping during speech.