Chapter 2. How the organs of speech work in English. Articulation.

Fig1.The speech organs are:
-the mouth cavity   /ротовая полость/
-the nasal cavity     /носовая полость/
-the pharynx          /зев/
-the lips
-the teeth
-the tongue
-the palate /the roof of the mouth /небо/
-the larynx containing the vocal cords / гортань с голосовыми связками/
THE PALATE is divided into three parts:
-alveolar ridge
-hard palate
-soft palate with uvula
THE TONGUE has no physical division like the palate. But its surface is divided into three parts corresponding to the parts of the roof of the mouth. There are: blade, front, back.
The air passes from the lungs into the wind-pipe, then through the larynx into the pharynx and into the mouth cavity.
If soft palate is lowered the air passes through the nasal cavity - [η].
E.g.: song, ring, thing
THE VOCAL CORDS are situated in the larynx, when the air stream is forced between them,
They vibrate and produce voice.
The space between the vocal cords is called THE GLOTTIS.
The organs of speech are divided into movable and fixed.
Movable organs take an active part in the articulation and called ACTIVE ORGANS OF SPEECH
Fixed organs with which the active organs form obstruction are called PASSIVE ORGANS OF SPEECH.
ARTICULATION. All the sounds we use in speech are produced by the moving air.