Articulatory System
"Articulation is the process of joining two elements together, and the articulatory system is the system of mobile and immobile articulators brought into contact for the purpose of shaping the sounds of speech" (Seikel et al.,2010, p. 267).
Structures
Articulators
Tongue
Velum
Mandible
Lips
Teeth
(Bauman-Waengler, 2020)
(Fors, n.d.)
(vaia, n.d.)
Functions
The articulatory system allows for manipulation of the resonating cavities in order to produce a variety of complex speech sounds. Here are some examples of how each structure is used:
Lips: Used in production of vowels in addition to bilabials and labiodental consonants.
Teeth: Important for producing labiodental and alveolar consonants.
Tongue: Used to open or constrict the oral cavity in various ways to create labiodental, alveolar, and palatal consonants as well as vowels.
Velum: Opens and closes the velopharyngeal port to the nasal cavity. It is only opened for nasal consonants.
Mandible: Used to support movements of the tongue and widen or constrict the oral cavity for a variety of speech sounds.
(Bauman-Waengler, 2020)