Articulatory Phonetics

Production of Speech Sound

Production of Speech Sound

The production of speech sound is the subject matter of articulatory phonetics. It Explains how airflow is generated, modified, and shaped into speech by the vocal organs. Speech production depends on an airstream that is set in motion, modified at the level of the larynx, directed through the oral or nasal cavities, and finally shaped by the articulators into recognizable speech sounds. The overall process proceeds through initiation, phonation, oral–nasal control, articulation, and co-articulation, all of which operate in close coordination rather than strict isolation.

Here are the key components of Articulatory Phonetics:

Speech Organs

Speech organs are the anatomical structures that participate in the creation of speech sounds. The subglottal system, consisting of the lungs, diaphragm, and rib muscles, provides the airflow that powers speech. The laryngeal system, located in the larynx, contains the vocal folds and regulates voicing and pitch through their vibration or separation. Above the larynx lies the vocal tract, which includes the pharynx, oral cavity, and nasal cavity and functions as a resonating and shaping chamber. Within this tract, some articulators such as tongue, lower lip, velum, and jaw actively move to shape sounds, while others such as the upper teeth, alveolar ridge, and hard palate serve as passive points of contact.

Consonant Classification

Consonants are classified according to how and where they are produced and whether the vocal folds vibrate during their articulation. The classification system used in articulatory phonetics relies on three parameters: the place of articulation, which identifies the location of constriction in the vocal tract; the manner of articulation, which describes how airflow is restricted or modified; and voicing, which indicates whether the vocal folds are vibrating. Together, these three parameters provide a complete articulatory description of a consonant sound. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) consonant chart is organized using these three parameters.

The columns represent the place of articulation.
The rows represent the manner of articulation.
Within each cell, symbols are usually arranged in pairs:

the left symbol is voiceless
the right symbol is voiced

Thus, each consonant can be identified by combining its row (manner), its column (place), and its voicing.

For example:

m = voiced bilabial nasal
s = voiceless alveolar fricative
g = voiced velar plosive

Simplified IPA Consonant Chart

Manner \ Place	Bilabial	Labiodental	Dental	Alveolar	Postalveolar	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	p b			t d			k g	ʔ
Nasal	m			n			ŋ

Trill				r
Tap/Flap				ɾ
Fricative	ɸ β	f v	θ ð	s z	ʃ ʒ	ç ʝ	x ɣ	h ɦ
Affricate					t͡ʃ d͡ʒ
Approximant				ɹ		j
Lateral Approx.				l

Processes

Speech production consists of several coordinated physiological processes that together transform airflow into structured sound. These processes follow the sequence below:

Initiation → Phonation → Oral–Nasal Control → Articulation → Co-articulation

Initiation:

Initiation refers to the generation of an airstream, most commonly by pushing air outward from the lungs in what is known as a pulmonic egressive mechanism.
Phonation:

Phonation occurs at the larynx, where the vocal folds may vibrate or remain apart, thereby determining voicing and contributing to pitch.
Oral-nasal control:

Oral–nasal control is managed by the velum, which directs airflow either into the oral cavity for oral sounds or into the nasal cavity for nasal sounds.
Articulation:

Articulation then shapes the sound through precise movements of the tongue, lips, and jaw.
Co-Articulation:

Co-articulation reflects the continuous nature of speech, in which articulatory gestures overlap and neighboring sounds influence one another.

Phonetics