Ch. 10,11 Speech Science

Respiratory system

Power course for speech

larynx

Sound source for speech

Upper throat and nasal airways (pharynx)

Modify the source generated by the larynx to create different speech sounds

Pharynx

Airway in the throat cavity

Speech breathing

Choppy

Vegetative breathing

Rest breathing, smooth

Larynx makeup

Cartilages, muscle, membranes, ligaments, sound source for speech

Vocal folds

Paired bands (folds) of muscular and non-muscular tissue that run between the front (anterior) to back (posterior) of the larynx

Open-breathing, closed- talking

Fundamental frequency (F0)

Number of full vocal cord cycles in 1 sec

Vocal folds vibrations

Top layer can vibrate independently of the rest, very rapidly, open and closing

Vocal tract

Shaper of speech, airway from upper throat→ nostrils, shapes consonants and vowels

Velopharyngeal port

Soft palate and surrounding walls, when it drops the sides relax which increases airflow, nasals need an open port and consonants need a closed port

Vocal fold vibration

Source

Vocal tract shape

Filter

Filter

Anything that changes the output of a source

Formants

Represented on spectrograms, resonant frequencies, different vowels have unique formant frequencies

Motor theory

A speech perception is performed by a special brain mechanism to humans

For motor theory

Human heat the same sound regardless of sex and age

Against motor theory

Some animals perceive speech in the same way humans do

Auditory theory

Speech perception does not need a species specific mechanism, brain stores templates

For auditory theory

Some animals have perception when it is learned

Against auditory theory

Not much