Journal article
Human Speech: A Restricted Use of the Mammalian Larynx
Journal of voice, Vol.31(2), pp.135-141
03/01/2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.06.003
PMCID: PMC5219873
PMID: 27397113
Abstract
Speech has been hailed as unique to human evolution. Although the inventory of distinct sounds producible with vocal tract articulators is a great advantage in human oral communication, it is argued here that the larynx as a sound source in speech is limited in its range and capability because a low fundamental frequency is ideal for phonemic intelligibility and source-filter independence.
Four existing data sets were combined to make an argument regarding exclusive use of the larynx for speech: (1) range of fundamental frequency, (2) laryngeal muscle activation, (3) vocal fold length in relation to sarcomere length of the major laryngeal muscles, and (4) vocal fold morphological development.
Limited data support the notion that speech tends to produce a contracture of the larynx. The morphological design of the human vocal folds, like that of primates and other mammals, appears to be optimized for vocal communication over distances for which higher fundamental frequency, higher intensity, and fewer unvoiced segments are used.
The positive message is that raising one's voice to call, shout, or sing, or executing pitch glides to stretch the vocal folds, can counteract this trend toward a contracted state.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Human Speech: A Restricted Use of the Mammalian Larynx
- Creators
- Ingo R. Titze - University of Utah
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of voice, Vol.31(2), pp.135-141
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jvoice.2016.06.003
- PMID
- 27397113
- PMCID
- PMC5219873
- NLM abbreviation
- J Voice
- ISSN
- 0892-1997
- eISSN
- 1873-4588
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Number of pages
- 7
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/01/2017
- Academic Unit
- School of Music; Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Record Identifier
- 9984719750302771
Metrics
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