Articulation is a pivotal aspect of speech that involves the shaping and/or obstruction of the vocal tract to produce the acoustic phenomena we perceive as speech sounds. Distinct speech sounds arise as various articulators engage, each playing a strategic role in creating the unique textures and patterns of language.
The Articulators
The primary articulators within the vocal tract include the lips and the tongue with its various surfaces: the tip, blade, body, and root. Additionally, the soft palate—or velum—acts dynamically to contribute to a range of speech sounds, and the vocal folds contribute vibration to voiced sounds. By moving and positioning these articulators in precise ways, actors can shape the sounds that form the words of their character’s language.
Points of Articulation
The articulators interact with various structural points within the vocal tract to create specific sounds. These points of articulation include the lips, teeth, alveolar ridge (the gum ridge just behind the upper front teeth), hard palate (the roof of the mouth), velum (soft palate), uvula (the small fleshy appendage hanging from the velum), and the pharynx (the part of the throat that sits behind the oral and nasal cavity). The interaction between the articulators and these points of articulation is what allows for the full range of speech expression.
Vowel Sounds
Vowel sounds occur when the vocal tract is open and unobstructed. The quality of these vowel sounds is determined by factors like the height of the tongue body within the mouth and its position from front to back, as well as whether the lips are rounded. Changes in any of these variables result in different vowel sounds.
Consonant Production
On the other hand, consonant sounds involve some form of obstruction of the airstream within the vocal tract. Consonants are categorized based on whether they are voiced (using the vibration of the vocal folds) or voiceless (without vocal fold vibration), their specific place of articulation (e.g., lips, teeth, etc.), and the manner in which the airstream is obstructed or manipulated (such as through full closure, or a narrow passage that causes turbulence).
In practice, an actor’s ability to skillfully articulate speech is key not only to intelligibility but also to the portrayal of character. By refining their articulation skills, actors can enhance their vocal presence and specificity of their characterizations, making every spoken moment on stage or on screen count.