The organs like lips, tongue, jaw, and teeth are used to give shape to the sound produced or the correct word or phoneme produced by the human. These organs are called articulatory organs or articulators. There are two types of articulators, namely, active articulators and passive articulators. Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com

1. The Organs of Speech
Prepared by: DARYL CASIANO

2. -Jarod Kintz
“If we spoke with our ears,
and listened through our
mouth, then a kiss might
be the most romantic
sound in the world.”

4. Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
a) identify the organs of speech;
b) use speech organs correctly; and
c) improve vocal production.

5. Let’s talk about it
The human mouth is comprised of several,
equally important parts which we use for speaking
and eating among others. However, this particular
lesson will focus only on the parts which are critical
to vocal production. When articulating sounds, you
need to work with your lips, teeth, jaw, tongue, and
facial muscles to properly produce the correct sound.
Below is an illustration identifying some of the organs
of speech.

6. The Organs of Speech

8. 1. Lips
Technically termed as labio (singular), labia (plural). The
two fleshy parts or folds forming the margins of the mouth

9. 2. Teeth
Technically termed as dental. Hard bodies usually attached
in a row to each jaw.

10. 3. Alveolar Ridge
The ridge-like border of the upper and lower jaws. Contains
the sockets of the teeth.

11. 4. Hard Palate
The dome-shaped or the roof of the mouth.

12. 5. Soft Palate
Technically termed as the velum. Separates the oral cavity
from the nasal cavity.

13. 6. Nasal Cavity
The space inside your nose.

14. 7. Pharynx
The junction where the nasal and oral cavity meet. The
space located around the walls of the throat and the root of
the tongue.

16. 8. Tongue
Technically termed as lingua. The usually movable organ in
the floor of the mouth which has the dorsum (the back of
the tongue), and its blades (sides of the tongue).

17. 9. Larynx
The vocal production room (voice box) in which vocal cord
is attached.

18. 10. Vocal cords
The two flexible tough muscles that provide vibration
during phonation.

19. 11. Glottis
The opening of the vocal cords.

20. 12. Lungs
The organs of gas exchange; blood flowing through the
lungs picks up oxygen from inhaled air and releases carbon
dioxide, which is exhaled. Air enters and leaves the lungs
though the bronchial tubes.

21. • Speech organs or articulators, produce the sounds
of language.
• Organs used for speech include the lips, teeth, alveolar
ridge, hard palate, velum (soft palate), uvula, glottis and
various parts of the tongue. They can be divided into two
types: passive articulators and active articulators. Active
articulators move relative to passive articulators, which
remain still, to produce various speech sounds, in
particular manners of articulation.
• The upper lip, teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate,
uvula, and pharynx wall are passive articulators. The most
important active articulator is the tongue as it is involved in
the production of the majority of sounds. The lower lip is
another active articulator. But glottis is not an active
articulator because it is only a space between vocal folds.

23. Epiglottis
lips
Vocal folds
Larynx
Uvula
Velum (soft palate)
Hard palate
Teeth
Nostril
Alveolar ridge

26. 1. TRUE OR FALSE. The soft palate serves to open and
close the entrance to the nasal cavity.
2. TRUE OR FALSE. The space between the vocal folds
is the epiglottis.
3. TRUE OR FALSE. The vocal cords are pressed
together during voiceless consonants.
4. TRUE OR FALSE. When the air is made to move out
of the lungs we say that there is a regressive pulmonic
airstream.
5. TRUE OR FALSE. Articulatory phonetics studies
different parts of the vocal tract.

27. 6. Which of the following is an active
articulator?
A. lower lip
B. Alveolar ridge
C. Hard palate
D. Upper teeth

28. 7. Which part of the tongue forms the front
wall of the pharynx?
A. Tip
B. Front
C. Back
D. Root

29. 8. Match the organs and their descriptions
(5 points)
8.1. hard palate
8.2. vocal cords
8.3. larynx
8.4. Alveolar Ridge
8.5. Tongue
A. The voice box
B. The roof of the mouth
C. Two thick flaps of muscle
rather like a pair of lips
D. This articulator can be
moved into different places
and different shapes
E. The tongue can touch this
to make a sounds like /t/ and
/d/

30. 9. In the articulation of nasal sounds, the
__________is lowered, and the air passes
through the nose.
A. Hard palate
B. Tongue
C. upper lip
D. soft palate

31. 10.This articulator is called the voice box.
A.Pharynx
B.Palate
C.Larynx
D.tongue

32. LET’S CHECK YOUR PAPER

33. Answers
1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. FALSE
4. TRUE
5. TRUE
6. A. LOWER LIPS
7. D. ROOT
8.1. B
8.2. C
8.3. A
8.4. E
8.5. D
9. D. SOFT PALATE
10. C. LARYNX

34. References
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_organ