ORGANS OF SPEECH - JSS1 English Language Lesson Note

Have you ever wondered how you make all those different sounds when you speak? Well, the answer lies in a special team of helpers in your body called the organs of speech. These amazing organs work together to create the sounds we use to talk, sing, and even whisper!

Here's a diagram showing the main organs of speech:

Let's meet the team:

Lungs: These are like balloons in your chest that take in air and push it out again. They provide the power behind your speech.

Larynx (Voice Box): This is located in your throat and contains the vocal cords. When air passes through the vocal cords, they vibrate and create sound.

Pharynx (Throat): This is a tube that connects the nose and mouth to the larynx. It helps to shape the sound coming from the vocal cords.

Tongue: This is the muscular organ in your mouth that helps you taste, swallow, and most importantly, speak! The tongue can move in different positions to change the shape of the mouth cavity and create different sounds.

Lips: These are the two fleshy parts at the opening of your mouth. They help to shape the sound coming out of your mouth and also help you pronounce certain consonants like "p" and "b".

Teeth: These hard structures in your mouth help you chew food, but they also play a role in speech. They help to create sounds like "f" and "v".

Nose: While not directly involved in creating sound for speech, the nose plays a role in producing certain sounds like "m" and "n".

Pure Vowel Sounds (Monothongs)

Now that you know about the organs of speech, let's explore some of the sounds they produce.

Vowels are sounds created by the free passage of air through the vocal cords. They are the building blocks of syllables, the basic units of sound in a word.

There are different types of vowels, but today, we'll focus on pure vowel sounds, also called monophthongs. These are vowel sounds that are made with a single, steady mouth position.

Here are some examples of pure vowel sounds and how they are pronounced:

/i/ as in "beat" - Try saying "ee" with a relaxed jaw.

/ɪ/ as in "bit" - Say "i" but shorten the sound slightly.

/e/ as in "bed" - Make a sound like you're saying "eh" but with a wider mouth opening.

/æ/ as in "bad" - Open your mouth wider and say "a" with a flat tongue.

/a/ as in "father" - Open your mouth wide and say "ah".

/ɒ/ as in "cot" - Say "o" with a rounded mouth but not as open as the "ah" sound.

/ɔ/ as in "caught" - Similar to the "o" sound but shorter and slightly rounded.

/u/ as in "boot" - Round your lips and say "oo" with a closed mouth.