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Physiological Processes of Speech Production

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Springer Handbook of Speech Processing

Part of the book series: Springer Handbooks ((SHB))

Abstract

Speech sound is a wave of air that originates from complex actions of the human body, supported by three functional units: generation of air pressure, regulation of vibration, and control of resonators. The lung air pressure for speech results from functions of the respiratory system during a prolonged phase of expiration after a short inhalation. Vibrations of air for voiced sounds are introduced by the vocal folds in the larynx; they are controlled by a set of laryngeal muscles and airflow from the lungs. The oscillation of the vocal folds converts the expiratory air into intermittent airflow pulses that result in a buzzing sound. The narrow constrictions of the airway along the tract above the larynx also generate transient source sounds; their pressure gives rise to an airstream with turbulence or burst sounds. The resonators are formed in the upper respiratory tract by the pharyngeal, oral, and nasal cavities. These cavities act as resonance chambers to transform the laryngeal buzz or turbulence sounds into the sounds with special linguistic functions. The main articulators are the tongue, lower jaw, lips, and velum. They generate patterned movements to alter the resonance characteristics of the supra-laryngeal airway. In this chapter, contemporary views on phonatory and articulatory mechanisms are summarized to illustrate the physiological processes of speech production, with brief notes on their observation techniques.

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Abbreviations

CVC:

consonant-vowel-consonant

EGG:

electroglottography

EMG:

electromyographic

FRC:

functional residual capacity

MRI:

magnetic resonance imaging

OQ:

open quotient

PGG:

photoglottography

RF:

radio frequency

SQ:

speed quotient

TMJ:

temporomandibular joint

VCV:

vowel-consonant-vowel

VOT:

voice onset time

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Phonétique et de Phonologie, ATR Cognitive Information Laboratories, Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris III, UMR-7018-CNRS, 46, rue Barrault, 75634, Paris, France

    Kiyoshi Honda

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  1. Kiyoshi Honda
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Correspondence to Kiyoshi Honda .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. INRS-EMT, University of Quebec, 800 de la Gauchetiere Ouest, H5A 1K6, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Jacob Benesty Dr.

  2. Avayalabs Research, 233 Mount Airy Road, 07920, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA

    M. Mohan Sondhi Ph.D.

  3. Alcatel-Lucent, Bell Laboratories, 600 Mountain Avenue, 07974, Murray Hill, NJ, USA

    Yiteng Arden Huang Dr.

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© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Honda, K. (2008). Physiological Processes of Speech Production. In: Benesty, J., Sondhi, M.M., Huang, Y.A. (eds) Springer Handbook of Speech Processing. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49127-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-49127-9_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-49125-5

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