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Voicing and Consonants

This document discusses voicing in phonetics and phonology. It defines voicing as the vibration of the vocal folds during speech sound production. Consonants can be voiced, like B, D, and G, which involve vocal fold vibration, or voiceless, like P, T, and K, which do not involve vibration. The larynx and vocal folds are responsible for this voicing distinction. Voicing can be felt by placing fingers on the larynx during speech and feeling vibration for voiced sounds like V but not voiceless sounds like F. The vocal tract and changes in vocal fold tension produce the variety of human speech sounds.

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90 views6 pages

Voicing and Consonants

This document discusses voicing in phonetics and phonology. It defines voicing as the vibration of the vocal folds during speech sound production. Consonants can be voiced, like B, D, and G, which involve vocal fold vibration, or voiceless, like P, T, and K, which do not involve vibration. The larynx and vocal folds are responsible for this voicing distinction. Voicing can be felt by placing fingers on the larynx during speech and feeling vibration for voiced sounds like V but not voiceless sounds like F. The vocal tract and changes in vocal fold tension produce the variety of human speech sounds.

Uploaded by

Abo Taleb
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Majmaah University in Rumah

Department of general English


Phonetics

voicing and consonants

Student name: Rawan Mohammed Alqababbnah


university ID: 411202819

Dr. Hanan Abdullah Ibrahim ALomran


Introduction

“Voicing is a term used in phonology to characterize speech sounds


(usually consonants), Voicing refers to the articulatory process in which
the vocal folds vibrate, its primary use in phonology to describe phones,
which are particular speech sounds.” ( Nathalie Elwood, Specialist
Speech and Language Therapist (2003)
Simply, when we feel a vibration in out vocal cords while we are
uttering a letter that means it is voiced consonants (such as: B, D, G, J,
L, M, N, Ng, R, Th (as in words "then and father "), V, W, Y, and Z, but
if we don’t feel vibration in our vocal cords as we pronounce a letter, so
it is voiceless or unvoiced (such as : s , p , k , f , th (as in words“ thing
and thin” , sh , ch ).
Let me say that in a different way that , What makes /sss/ sound
different than /zzz/? (try to put your fingers in your ear and say them
both interchangeably.) also what makes /t,f/ sound different than /d,v/?
That’s what is called exactly voicing. (z,v and d are voiced, s ,f and t are
unvoiced.)
“Larynx is the responsible for this way of articulation which makes
some consonants voiced and others are unvoiced. It’s vibration in our
voice box (larynx) that uses our skull to reverberate and make a sound
louder and deeper.” (Evelyn Elwell Uyemura, MA Linguistics &
Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Northeastern Illinois
University (1985)
Both types of consonants use the breath, lips, teeth, and upper palate to
modify speech.
Vowels are all voiced (a, e, i, o, u) but some consonants are voiced and
others are unvoiced as mentioned above.
Voice:
voice is defined in phonetics and phonology as the speech sounds
produced by the vocal folds(cords) or known as voicing.
We have to types of voice which are (voice quality and voice range):
 Voice quality is the main features of individual's voice.
 Voice range (or vocal range) refers to the range of frequency used
by a speaker.
“The voice is the very emblem(code/slogan) of the speaker, indelibly
woven into the fabric of speech. In this sense, each of our utterances of
spoken language carries not only its own message, but through accent,
tone of voice and habitual voice quality it is at the same time an audible
declaration of our membership” (Laver, John.1994)
The Speech Mechanism begins with an airstream
 sounds are produced by an aggressive airstream produced by the
lungs.
 This airstream then passes through the larynx (known as the
'Adam's apple')
 also, this airstream passes along a tube of the complex shape
formed by the mouth and nose called the vocal tract
 then to articulate, a variety of muscles interact to produce changes
in the configuration of the vocal tract to allow parts of the speech
organs to come into contact with other parts

the voicing and the vocal folds (cords)


Voicing is the result of moving air causing the vocal folds (or vocal
cords) to vibrate within the larynx behind the cartilage of the Adam's
apple. This vibration, your voice, is what you feel and hear when you
sustain the sound of /v/. (Thomas P. Klammer,2007)
During the process of articulation, the vocal cords have a great
prominent role as they vibrate very rapidly when an airstream is allowed
to pass between them, producing what is called voice. The vocal cords
are the main responsible for vibration and vibrating means the sound is
voiced as in (v, z , and b ) and if they don’t vibrate , unvoiced sounds
produced such as ( s , k , p and f ) .
“We can make changes in the vocal folds themselves--they can, for
example, be made longer or shorter, more tense or more relaxed or be
more or less strongly pressed together. The pressure of the air below the
vocal folds (the subglottal pressure) can also be varied [in intensity,
frequency, and quality” (Peter Roach, 2009).
The Function of the Voice Box (larynx)
The key function of the voice box is to open and close the glottis. it has
many functions during breathing, coughing, swallowing and in voice.
But here we will talk only about its role in voice which it closes glottis
and adjust vocal fold tension, brings both vocal folds to the midline to
allow vocal fold vibration during speaking and singing. finally, voice
box adjusts vocal fold tension to vary pitch (how high or low the voice
is) and changes in volume (such as loud voice production)
components of the Voice Box are:
Cartilages
Muscles
Nerves
Vocal Folds

The function of the vocal tract


The Vocal tract consists of throat (pharynx), oral cavity, nasal cavities.
The vocal tracts are the responsible for changing the “buzzy sound” into
a recognizable voice

Examples and Observations


Simply, you can experiment this yourself to notice the stunning voicing
you make while you trying to articulate any sound and you can
determine which one is voiced and which another one is voiceless.
 To feel the difference, place your fingers on your larynx (Adam’s
apple) and produce first the sound of /f/.
 Repeat that sound for a few seconds.
 Then quickly shift to the sound of /v/.
 You will be able to feel the difference clearly
 You will feel a vibration with the sound of /v/, because it is voiced.
 But you will not feel it with the sound /f/, because it is voiceless.

Conclusion:
when we feel a vibration in our vocal cords while we are uttering a
sound that means it is voiced consonants (such as: B, D) but if we
don’t feel vibration in our vocal cords as we pronounce a sound, so
it is voiceless or unvoiced (such as: s, p). Sounds are produced by
an aggressive airstream produced by the lungs then Voicing is
happened as a result of moving air causing the vocal folds (or
vocal cords) to vibrate within the larynx behind the cartilage of the
Adam's apple. The larynx is to open and close the glottis, it closes
glottis and adjust vocal fold tension, brings both vocal folds to the
midline to allow vocal fold vibration during speaking. We can
experiment this ourselves by placing out fingers on our larynx
during speaking.
References
1. https://www.quora.com/What-is-voicing-in-phonetics
2. Nordquist, Richard. "Definition of Voice in Phonetics and Phonology." ThoughtCo, Aug.
26, 2020, thoughtco.com/voice-phonetics-1691715.
3. Laver, John. Principles of Phonetics. Cambridge University Press, 1994.
4. Collins, Beverley, and Inger M. Mees. Practical Phonetics and Phonology: a Resource
Book for Students. 3rd ed., Routledge, 2013.
5. Roach, Peter. English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course. 4th ed., Cambridge
University Press, 2009.
6. Klammer, Thomas P., et al. Analyzing English Grammar. Pearson, 2007.
7. https://voicefoundation.org/health-science/voice-disorders/anatomy-physiology-of-voice-
production/the-voice-mechanism/
8.

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