Phonology

What is phonology?

The study of how speech sounds form patterns in a language.

What are the two main subdisciplines in linguistics concerned with sound?

Phonetics and phonology.

What does articulatory phonetics analyze?

It analyzes which organs and muscles are used by speakers to produce speech.

What is the focus of acoustic phonetics?

It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds as they travel in the air.

What does auditory phonetics focus on?

It focuses on the effect of sounds when they reach the listener's ear and brain.

What is segmental phonology?

It deals with individual speech sounds.

What does suprasegmental phonology concern itself with?

It is concerned with larger units such as syllables, words, and intonation phrases.

What does the respiratory system provide for speech production?

The airstream required for producing speech.

What is the function of the larynx?

To provide voice with the help of the airstream from the respiratory system.

What is phonation?

The process of the vocal folds rapidly opening and closing to produce sound.

How many times do adult female vocal folds open and close per second?

Approximately 250 times.

What differentiates voiced speech sounds from voiceless sounds?

Voiced sounds are produced with vocal fold vibration, while voiceless sounds are not.

What is timbre in relation to voice?

The quality of sound that differentiates one voice from another based on characteristics like sharpness and mellowness.

How do the size and tension of vocal folds affect pitch?

Longer vocal folds vibrate more slowly resulting in a lower pitch; tenser and thinner vocal folds vibrate faster resulting in a higher pitch.

What happens to the vocal folds during the production of voiceless sounds?

The vocal folds are wide apart and do not vibrate.

What is the primary function of the vocal folds besides phonation?

Preventing food and drink from entering the trachea and lungs.

What are the three cavities that make up the articulatory system?

The pharyngeal cavity, oral cavity, and nasal cavity.

What role do the cavities play in speech?

They modulate the airstream and act as resonating chambers to alter sound quality.