Speech production & perception
10.29.25
Ch. 12 - Speech & Music
Announcements
- Exam 2
- one week from today (Wed 11/5)
- covers Ch. 9-12
- Attention + everything auditory
- To review
- Emma's recordings & slides
- Vignettes from each chapter
The Importance of Speech
Unparalleled precision in communicating ideas
Components of Speech
Phonemes: the smallest unit of sound that, if changed, would change the meaning of the word usually either a single letter or a combination of letters that together produce a single sound (i.e., “sh” in “shout”, “ph” in “phoneme”) Speech is the stringing together of phonemes to convey meaning, which are the fundamental building blocks
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
Breaks down different languages into a common phoneme alphabet
Production of Speech
Speech begins in the brain as a planned action, which is then executed by the vocal system
Production of Speech
1. Exhalation from the lungs
Production of Speech
2. Air flows into the larynx (“voice box”)
Production of Speech
3. Within the larynx, air passes through the vocal folds (“vocal chords”)
Production of Speech
4. Air flows into the pharynx, and then into the oral and nasal cavities
Production of Speech
5. The uvula can bend upward to close off the nasal cavity
Production of Speech
Frequency of vocal utterances is influenced by multiple factors
- Whether the vocal folds are relaxed or tensed
- Size and thickness of the vocal folds
- Size and shape of the larynx
- Degree of contraction and relaxation of muscles in the throat
- Individual differences (sex differences, age differences)
- Frequency modulation alone can convey meaning
- Typically accomplished by relaxing or contracting the throat muscles, which changes the tension on the vocal folds, causing them to vibrate at different frequencies
Production of Speech
Vowel sounds: relatively unrestricted flow of speech through the pharynx and oral cavity, with different vowels produced by varying the size and shape of the oral cavity Consonant sounds: produced by restricting the flow of air at one place or another along the path of the airflow from the vocal folds
Producing Vowels
The shape of the oral cavity attenuates some frequencies more than others Accomplished by opening the jaw to different degrees, adjusting the shape and position of the tongue, and shaping the lips Formants: individual peaks in the harmonic spectrum that define a vowel sound
Producing Consonants
Airflow can be selectively restricted in multiple ways to produce consonants: Place of articulation: where along the path of air restriction occurs (which anatomical structures are manipulated, and how) Manner of articulation: nature of the restriction (e.g., closed vs narrowed, closed then released slightly) Voicing: whether the vocal folds are vibrating (voiced or voiceless)
Place, Manner, & Voicing
Producing Consonants
- The place of articulation can alone differentiate phonemes
- These are examples of “stop consonants” (stopping the airflow at a particular point)
- Note that different languages have some different places and manners of articulation than those found in English
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Beyond the auditory cortex, there is a specialized network of brain regions involved in the processing of linguistic information
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Dorsal pathway: production of speech by the motor system Ventral pathway: the meaning of words and combinations of words
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Note that areas involved in the production of motor responses are also active when listening to speech Strongly left-lateralized in most people
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Broca’s area: involved in the production of speech Damage to this area results in an impaired ability to produce speech, but intact comprehension of speech (Broca’s aphasia)
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Wernicke’s area: involved in the comprehension of speech Damage to this area results in an impaired ability to comprehend speech, but an intact ability to produce speech (Wernicke’s aphasia)
Thank you so much!
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Transcript
Speech production & perception
10.29.25
Ch. 12 - Speech & Music
Announcements
The Importance of Speech
Unparalleled precision in communicating ideas
Components of Speech
Phonemes: the smallest unit of sound that, if changed, would change the meaning of the word usually either a single letter or a combination of letters that together produce a single sound (i.e., “sh” in “shout”, “ph” in “phoneme”) Speech is the stringing together of phonemes to convey meaning, which are the fundamental building blocks
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
Breaks down different languages into a common phoneme alphabet
Production of Speech
Speech begins in the brain as a planned action, which is then executed by the vocal system
Production of Speech
1. Exhalation from the lungs
Production of Speech
2. Air flows into the larynx (“voice box”)
Production of Speech
3. Within the larynx, air passes through the vocal folds (“vocal chords”)
Production of Speech
4. Air flows into the pharynx, and then into the oral and nasal cavities
Production of Speech
5. The uvula can bend upward to close off the nasal cavity
Production of Speech
Frequency of vocal utterances is influenced by multiple factors
Production of Speech
Vowel sounds: relatively unrestricted flow of speech through the pharynx and oral cavity, with different vowels produced by varying the size and shape of the oral cavity Consonant sounds: produced by restricting the flow of air at one place or another along the path of the airflow from the vocal folds
Producing Vowels
The shape of the oral cavity attenuates some frequencies more than others Accomplished by opening the jaw to different degrees, adjusting the shape and position of the tongue, and shaping the lips Formants: individual peaks in the harmonic spectrum that define a vowel sound
Producing Consonants
Airflow can be selectively restricted in multiple ways to produce consonants: Place of articulation: where along the path of air restriction occurs (which anatomical structures are manipulated, and how) Manner of articulation: nature of the restriction (e.g., closed vs narrowed, closed then released slightly) Voicing: whether the vocal folds are vibrating (voiced or voiceless)
Place, Manner, & Voicing
Producing Consonants
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Beyond the auditory cortex, there is a specialized network of brain regions involved in the processing of linguistic information
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Dorsal pathway: production of speech by the motor system Ventral pathway: the meaning of words and combinations of words
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Note that areas involved in the production of motor responses are also active when listening to speech Strongly left-lateralized in most people
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Broca’s area: involved in the production of speech Damage to this area results in an impaired ability to produce speech, but intact comprehension of speech (Broca’s aphasia)
Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception & Production
Wernicke’s area: involved in the comprehension of speech Damage to this area results in an impaired ability to comprehend speech, but an intact ability to produce speech (Wernicke’s aphasia)
Thank you so much!
Exit Ticket