Articulatory System: Basic Anatomy

Question 1

Sound shaper

Answer 1

Articulators modify sound source into rapidly changing sounds recognized as speech

Shapes ACOUSTIC events

Sound produced eventually becomes perceptual events recognized as speech

Question 2

Articulatory system basic biological functions

Answer 2

Smell
Taste
Swallowing
Warms, filters, and humidifies inhaled air

Question 3

Articulatory system basic speech functions

Answer 3

Makes adjustments to vocal tract shape/size to change sound source into various speech sounds (formants and filter characteristics)

Question 4

Articulators

Answer 4

Structures making adjustments in vocal tract
i.e. tongue, teeth, lips, velopharyngeal mechanism, etc…

Question 5

Vocal tract

Answer 5

Double-barreled tube extending from the larynx (sound source) to mouth and nostrils

Made up of the pharyngeal cavity, nasal cavity, velopharyngeal port, hard palate, and oral cavity

Question 6

Cavities

Answer 6

3 cavities of vocal tract:
1. Pharyngeal
2. Nasal
3. Oral

(Upper respiratory tract)

Question 7

Pharyngeal cavity

Answer 7

3 sections:
1. Laryngopharynx
2. Oropharynx
3. Nasopharynx

Question 8

Laryngopharynx

Answer 8

Section of pharyngeal cavity located at the laryngeal level
Links sound source to passageways to oral and nasal cavities

Question 9

Oropharynx

Answer 9

Section of pharyngeal cavity located at oral cavity
Provides passageway for sound stream to enter oral cavity

Question 10

Nasopharynx

Answer 10

Section of pharyngeal cavity located at nasal cavity
Provides passageway for sound stream to enter nasal cavity
Necessary for nasal consonants /m,n,ng/

Question 11

Velopharyngeal mechanism overview

Answer 11

Most typical speech sounds, passageway between oropharynx and nasopharynx closed (velopharyngeal port closed) so that speech stream exits only through the oral cavity (Access to nasal cavity denied)

For nasal speech, passageway between oropharynx and nasopharynx momentarily opened, allowing speech stream to enter nasal cavity and not oral cavity (velopharyngeal port open). (Access to nasal cavity open briefly)

Question 12

Velopharyngeal role

Answer 12

Closes velopharyngeal port, denies nasal cavity access for non-nasal sounds

Momentarily allows exhaled speech stream access to nasal cavity for nasal sounds

Question 13

Key structure of velopharyngeal mechanism

Answer 13

Velum/soft palate
Flap of muscle (NOT BONE) with aponeurosis surrounding it called palatine aponeurosis
Located posterior to hard palate (maxilla and palatine bone)
Sits between the oral and nasal pharynx

Visible landmark: Uvula

Attachments:
Palatine bone
Surrounded by palatine aponeurosis

Question 14

How does Velopharyngeal mechanism work?

Answer 14

Velum is pulled up and back against wall of nasopharynx by VP closers: Levator palatini (elevator) and uvula (stiffener)

Nasopharynx wall is constricted/tightened towards the velum by VP closer: Superior constrictor (constrictor)
(Together, results in VP closure)

Occasionally, Velum is lowered to allow nasal speech by VP depressors: Palatoglossus and Palatopharyngeus
(Results in nasal resonance)

Question 15

Velum at rest

Answer 15

Breathing, it is OPEN so you can breath through nose

Question 16

Velum at speech

Answer 16

Non-nasal: closed
Nasal: open briefly

Question 17

Velopharyngeal closure error

Answer 17

When the velum doesn’t close securely:
Leaks air into the nasal cavity seen as bubbles
If bubbles seen, air flow is in nasal cavity where it should be constricted

Severely affects speech intelligibility
VP mechanism is VERY essential for both speech and swallowing processes

Question 18

Nasal cavity functions

Answer 18

Speech: Alters quality of speech stream recognized as nasal characteristic

Biology: Warms, filters, and humidifies inhaled air, smell/taste, and breathing

Question 19

Nasal cavity structure

Answer 19

Comprised of complex bilateral cavities each interconnected with sinuses of facial and cranial bones

Question 20

Nasal septum

Answer 20

Bilateral cavities separated by:
Nasal septum (cartilage, Ethmoid bone, Vomer bone)

Ethmoid bone is upper half, vomer is lower half of the septum

Question 21

Lateral walls of nasal cavity

Answer 21

3 parts:
1. Inferior nasal concha (facial bone)
2. Middle nasal concha (ethmoid bone)
3. Superior nasal concha (ethmoid bone)

Upper 2/3 ethmoid, lower 1/3 inferior nasal concha

All 3 are long, curly spongy bones that projects laterally into each nasal cavity, deeper than they appear

Question 22

Hard palate function

Answer 22

Velopharyngeal closure closure for intelligible speech
Ensures exhaled air stream does not leak into nasal cavity (firm border)

Even if VP closes, if hard palate didn’t exist, air would flow into the nasal cavity

Question 23

Hard palate structure

Answer 23

Comprised of:
Maxilla
Palatine bone

Question 24

Maxilla

Answer 24

2 landmarks:
1. Premaxilla
2. Palatine process of maxilla bone

Question 25

Palatine bone

Answer 25

1 Landmark:
1. Palatine process of palatine bone

Question 26

What happens when integrity of hard palate is compromised?

Answer 26

Cleft lip/palate

Cleft lip: A cleft/break on the lips

Cleft palate: A cleft/break of the hard palate

Different types:
Incomplete unilateral cleft lip
Unilateral cleft lip and palate
Bilateral cleft lip and palate
Isolated cleft palate

Question 27

Cleft palate cause

Answer 27

Lack of fusion between nasal septum, palatine bone, and maxilla bone

Question 28

Cleft lip cause

Answer 28

Lack of fusion between premaxilla and the palatine process of maxilla bone

Question 29

Oral cavity

Answer 29

Major role in shaping acoustic events into perceptual events

Question 30

Oral cavity function

Answer 30

Speech:
Alters shape of vocal tract’s exit and contributes to facial expression

Biological:
Lip closure during chewing and swallowing

Question 31

Tongue functions

Answer 31

Speech:
Rapidly alters shape of oral cavity by various extrinsic and intrinsic muscles, it changes it’s position and shape respectively

Question 32

Mandible functions

Answer 32

Speech: Alters overall size of oral cavity, most notably for vowels but also consonants

Biological: Biting and chewing