Question

Which of these is a movable speech organ?

• A. Teeth
• B. Tongue
• C. Hard palate
• D. Alveolar ridge

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Tongue

Understanding Speech Organs (Articulators)

• Speech organs, also known as articulators, are parts of the vocal tract used to produce speech sounds. They can be broadly categorized into movable and immovable (fixed) articulators.
• The interaction between movable and immovable articulators creates constrictions or closures in the vocal tract, which are essential for producing different sounds.

The Tongue: A Highly Movable Articulator

• The tongue is arguably the most important and versatile movable speech organ. It is a muscular organ located in the mouth.
• Its high degree of flexibility allows it to take various shapes and positions, making contact with different parts of the mouth (e.g., teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate).
• The tongue is crucial for producing the vast majority of vowel sounds and many consonant sounds in human languages. For instance, sounds like /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /l/, /r/, /k/, /g/ heavily rely on specific tongue positions and movements.
• In phonetics, different parts of the tongue are distinguished for articulation: the tip, blade, front, back, and root.

Other Movable Speech Organs

• While the tongue is paramount, other significant movable articulators include the:
  • Lips: Essential for bilabial sounds (/p/, /b/, /m/) and labiodental sounds (/f/, /v/).
  • Soft Palate (Velum): Can be raised to block air from entering the nasal cavity (for oral sounds) or lowered to allow air through (for nasal sounds like /m/, /n/, /ŋ/).
  • Lower Jaw (Mandible): Though not directly involved in articulation, its movement allows for changes in mouth opening, which affects vowel quality and general articulation space.
  • Vocal Cords (Vocal Folds): Located in the larynx, they vibrate to produce voiced sounds and remain open for voiceless sounds.

Immovable (Fixed) Speech Organs

• For contrast, fixed articulators provide points of contact or reference for the movable ones. These include the:
  • Upper Teeth: Used in sounds like /f/, /v/ (labiodental) and /θ/, /ð/ (dental).
  • Alveolar Ridge: The bony ridge behind the upper teeth; crucial for sounds like /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /n/, /l/, /r/.
  • Hard Palate: The roof of the mouth, behind the alveolar ridge; involved in palatal sounds like /j/.