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Alveoli |
tiny air sacs in the lungs that conduct the air to the bloodstream. Upon inhalation, oxygen enters the bloodstream; during exhalation, carbon dioxide is released fro the bloodstream through the alveoli |
Articulation |
The production of sounds - namely, vowels, diphthongs, and consonants |
Breathiness |
A vocal quality characterized by the release of excessive breath because the vocal folds are not brought closely enough together during phonation; also caused by lack of breath support |
Bronchioles |
Small branches at the end of the bronchi. |
Bronchus |
One of the two tubular divisions of the trachea |
Career Speech |
Voice and speech that are of professional quality; trained speech |
Career Voice |
Cartilage |
A tough, white fibrous tissue attached to the surfaces of bones |
Clavicular Breathing |
Respiration in which the upper chest and shoulders are elevated and lowered; named for the clavicles |
Consonants |
A speech sound produced when the flow of breath is stopped either partially or totally by the articulatory organs and is then released. The consonants give spoken language clarity. |
Conversational Speech |
Speech habits learned through observation, informal speech |
Diaphragm |
A double, dome-shaped muscle of respiration that forms the floor of the thorax and the ceiling of the abdomen the most important muscle used in abdominal breathing. |
Diaphragmatic Breathing |
Respiration in which the muscles of the abdomen, including the diaphragm, are used; the preferred form of breathing for speech. In addition, diaphragmatic breathing involves lateral movement of the lower ribs |
Epiglottis |
The spoon- or leaf-shaped cartilage of the larynx |
Exhalation |
That part of the breathing process in which carbon dioxide is expelled from the lungs |
Glottis |
The space between the true vocal folds. |
Habitual Pitch |
(Modal Pitch) The pitch that you use most frequently |
Hyoid Bone |
The small bone from which the larynx is suspended |
Inflection |
A vocal technique that brings attention to thoughts and ideas through variation of pitch. These changes of stress, tempo, and pitch occur without speech interruption and support, enhance, reflect, and amplify meaning. |
Inhalation |
The initial part of the breathing process in which oxygen rushes into the lungs in order to equalize the atmospheric pressure. |
International Phonetic Alphabet |
An alphabet of visual symbols that represent sounds. |
Laryngectomy |
The surgical removal of the larynx |
Larynx |
Commonly called the voice box, it is located at the top of the trachea and houses and protects the vocal folds. It is composed of five major cartilaginous structures and muscles, including the vocal folds |
Loudness |
The perception of the intensity or expansiveness of sound vibrations; volume |
Lungs |
A pair of thoracic organs filling the chest cavity. They are the basic organ of respiration |
Memisis |
Imitation |
Muscle |
A fibrous tissue capable of being contracted and released |
Nasal Cavity |
The cavity in the head, located above the soft and hard palate, that leads to the nose. The entrance but not the size of this cavity can be adjusted |
Nasal Resonance |
An amplification and modification of the fundamental tone in the nose |
Negative Practice |
The learning technique that involves "consciously" practicing an error. |
Open Throat |
Optimal pharyngeal resonance; a relaxed throat that produces a relaxed sound |
Optimum Pitch |
The best pitch for your voice, as determined by your physical structure. The best sound produced with the least effort. |
Oral Cavity |
The buccal or mouth cavity; the size of this cavity can be adjusted. |
Oral Recidivism |
The tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of oral behavior |
Oral Resonance |
An amplification and modification of the fundamental tone in the mouth |
Overly Open Throat |
A voice quality that sounds too relaxed and includes a yawning quality. |
Pharyngeal Resonance |
An amplification and modification of the fundamental tone in the throat |
Pharynx |
The throat cavity located between the esophagus and the opening to the nasal cavity; the size of this cavity can be adjusted. It is also called the throat |
Phoneme |
A sound family that conveys meaning within languages; the individual sound components of a word. The smallest unit of recognizable speech sound. |
Pitch |
A factor of sound related to frequency, or the number of vibrations per unit of time. The perception of the highs and lows of sound. |
Projection |
The act of controlling loudness |
Quality |
A factor of sound determined by the complexity of vibrations per unit of time. The subjective interpretation of sound determined by the complexity of the vibrations; the amplification of the partials - the overtones that individualize a voice. |
Resonance |
The process that amplifies and modifies the intensity of tone. In the production of speech sounds. This amplification occurs primarily in the cavities of the mouth, nose, and throat because of either forced or sympathetic vibration. These three cavities constitute the vocal resonators. The size, shape, and physical makeup of the cavities determine the kind of amplification. In other words, the fundamental tones produced at the vocal folds is "re-sounded" within these cavities. |
Resonance Cavities |
The cavities in which sound can resonate. for voice production, the mouth, nose, and throat cavities are the most important |
Respiration |
The process of breathing; the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. |
Rib Cage |
The bony boundary of the chest, or thorax. |
Singing Voice |
Prolongation of vowels at particular pitches |
Speech |
The result of the production, combination and presentation of the individual components of vocal sound. |
Sternum |
The breastbone. |
Thorax |
The chest or chest cavity. |
Thyroarytenoid Muscles |
The vocal folds |
Thyroid Cartilage |
The largest cartilage of the larynx; it is shield-shaped |
Tight Throat |
Excessive tension in the throat' the opposite of an open throat. |
Tongue |
The largest muscle in the mouth. |
Trachea |
The windpipe; a cartilaginous tube located between the throat and the bronchial tubes. |
Turbinates |
Three spiral-shaped bones located behind the nose that warm, moisten, and filter the air during vegetative breathing |
Upper Thoracic Breathing |
Respiration while elevating the sternum and often pulling in the lower ribs |
Vegetative Breathing |
Respiration in order to sustain life |
Vertebral Column |
The spinal column |
Viscera |
The soft digestive organs in the abdomen |
Visualization |
A technique in which a person recalls mental images of himself or herself in a non-threatening situation. |
Vocal Folds |
Folds of muscle located within the larynx that, when vibrated by subglottal air pressure, cause most of the sounds of speech. |
Voice |
The quality and condition of the sound produced at the larynx by the passage of exhaled breath between the vocal folds, which causes them to vibrate. The vocal sound is magnified and made resonant by the resonance cavities; it is here that the quality becomes a factor of sound. |
Volume |
The amount of force or energy applied to the production of the vocal sound; sound intensity shown by sound waves. |
Vowel |
A speech sound in which there is a free, unobstructed flow of vibrating breath through the articulatory mold. The vowels are determined by the shape of the tongue and lips. Vowels give the language beauty and carrying power. |