Articulators

Articulators in the field of speech and language pathology refer to the physical structures used to produce speech sounds. These include:

• Lips: Known as labial articulation, the lips play a major role in forming sounds such as "p," "b," "m," and "w."

• Teeth: The upper teeth are used to produce dental sounds such as "f" and "v."

• Alveolar Ridge: This is the ridge located just behind the teeth. Sounds produced here include "t," "d," "n," and "l."

• Hard Palate: This is the roof of the mouth, used for palatal sounds like "j" as in "jump" and "sh" as in "ship."

• Velum or Soft Palate: The velum controls the airflow between the oral and nasal cavities, which is crucial for producing many sounds. For example, it closes off the nasal cavity for non-nasal sounds, and opens for nasal sounds such as "m," "n," and "ng."

• Uvula: This small flap of tissue at the back of the throat contributes to the unique sound of certain languages, like the uvular sounds in French and Arabic.

• Tongue: Probably the most versatile of all articulators, the tongue can move in many different ways to produce a wide range of sounds. Depending on the sound, it can interact with the teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, and velum.

• Glottis and Vocal Cords: These are used to modulate airflow from the lungs and create voiced or voiceless sounds.

• Jaw: By opening and closing, the jaw modulates the space in the oral cavity, which is crucial for producing different sounds.

These articulators work in coordination to shape the airflow in specific ways, and that's how we are able to produce the wide variety of sounds found in human languages. It's also worth mentioning that these structures can be affected by various conditions such as motor-neuron diseases, stroke, cancer, and more, leading to various speech disorders.