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Discuss the three airstream mechanisms used in speech sound production.

      

Discuss the three airstream mechanisms used in speech sound production.

  

Answers


Francis
1. Pulmonic Airstream Mechanism:
This mechanism is initiated by the respiratory muscles. The muscles move the walls of the lungs, pushing out the flow of air utilized in speech. The Pulmonic airstream mechanism is egressive. It is the basis of most of the human speech sounds. Almost 80% of the consonants and all the vowel sounds make use of it. It is also called a universal mechanism.

2. Glottalic Airstream Mechanism:
It is set in motion by the closed glottis. As the glottis is closed, air is pushed out in the pharyngeal-laryngeal cavity. Hence, we use:
Ingressive Glottalic Mechanism: it produces sounds called implosives. They include/ ?, ?, ?, ?, ? /
Egressive Glottalic Mechanism: it produces sounds called ejectives. /p’, t’, k’, c’, q’/

3. Velaric Airstream Mechanism:
It is initiated by the velum. The back of the tongue (radix) is raised towards the velum to form a velic closure. The air utilized is found in the oral cavity; and it is moved by being sucked in, hence ingressive. The sounds formed are called clicks, through a suction movement. Clicks occur in Southern Bantu languages Xhosa, Zulu, and in languages spoken by Khoikhoi and the Bushmen. /?/ represents a bilabial click.
francis1897 answered the question on August 23, 2022 at 08:52


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