Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Production Mechanism

Question 1

Lungs

Answer 1

Bio: breathing, exchange CO2, oxygen
SF: Supplies air for speech. Short inspirations are followed by expirations whose lengths correspond to the length of what you said.

Question 2

Trachea

Answer 2

Bio: cartilaginous tube that connects to pharynx and larynx to lungs. Allows passage of air
SF: Helps conduct air pressure for speech.

Question 3

Larynx

Answer 3

Bio: Protects lungs by preventing food and fluids from entering.
SF: Produces voice for speech sounds. Sound source.

Question 4

Teeth

Answer 4

Bio: mechanically breaks down food by crushing. Prepares food for swallowing and digesting.
SF: Helps from words by controlling air flow out of mouth. F, V and O sounds.

Question 5

Tongue

Answer 5

Bio: Moves food in mouth as we chew. Pushes food into bolus and then pushes it down the esophagus to our stomach.
SF: Most important articulator of speech.

Question 6

Hard Palate

Answer 6

Bio: separates the nasal and oral cavities.
SF: Interaction between tongue and hard palate is essential in the formation of speech sounds such as t, d, and j.

Question 7

Inspiratory muscles

Answer 7

Above diaphragm

Question 8

Expiratory muscles

Answer 8

Below diaphragm

Question 9

Diaphragm

Answer 9

Principle muscle of inspiration

Question 10

Resting Tidal Breathing

Answer 10

Breathing to sustain life. Duration of inspiration and expiration is equal.

Question 11

Divisions of Pharynx

Answer 11

1.) Nasopharynx - closest to nasal cavity
2.) Oropharynx - closest to oral cavity
3.) Laryngopharynx - closest to larynx

Question 12

Thyroid cartilage (laryngeal)

Answer 12

Largest laryngeal cartilage, protects inner components of larynx.

Question 13

thyroid prominence (laryngeal)

Answer 13

Adams apple. right below thyroid notch.

Question 14

Vocal folds (laryngeal)

Answer 14

abduct during respiration and adduct during phonation.

Question 15

Glottis (laryngeal)

Answer 15

space between vocal folds

Question 16

Velopharyngeal closure

Answer 16

contact of the velum (soft palate) with lateral and posterior pharyngeal walls.

Question 17

Bernoulli Effect

Answer 17

high air velocity through a narrow opening (the glottis) creates a negative pressure that sucks the vocal folds together
Afterwards, air pressure builds up below the closed vocal folds and then blows the vocal folds apart. Plays very minor role in vocal fold vibration.

Question 18

Fundamental Frequency

Answer 18

Number of cycles of vocal fold vibration per second

Question 19

Harmonics

Answer 19

Whole number multiples of the fundamental frequency

Question 20

The laryngeal muscle responsible for abducting the vocal folds is the

Answer 20

Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle

Question 21

The principal structure of the oral cavity is the:

Answer 21

Tongue

Question 22

Thyroarytenoid muscle

Answer 22

Contracts to shorten and thicken vocal folds

Question 23

Cricoarytenoid Muscle

Answer 23

Contracts to lengthen and stiffen vocal folds.

Question 24

Lateral Cricoarytenoid Muscle

Answer 24

Adducts vocal folds