p]xpp:rimental phonp:tk^s. 



By Prof. John G. McKendkick, F. H. 8.*^ 



The movomont.s of the org'an.s of voice and speech are so complicated 

 as to require for their ehicidation the application of nuiny methods of 

 research. When one speaks there are movements of the lips, tonoue. 

 soft palate, and larynx, and sometimes movements of the muscles of 

 expression. Then, again, there are special characteristics a])out vowel 

 sounds which apparently distinguish these from the sounds of musical 

 instruments. Thus questions arise as to the true nature of vowel 

 sounds and as to what is the physical constitution of a word of several 

 sjdlables. It has also ])een suggested that language might be recorded, 

 not by letters or syllal)les, but by signs or symbols which would indi- 

 cate what had to l>e done l)y the vocal and articulating organs for the 

 production of an}" given sound. There might thus l)e a physiological 

 method of expressing speech l)y a series of alphabetical sym))o]s for 

 sounds varying in pitch, intensity, and ({uality. It will ])e seen that 

 experimental phonetics constitutes a wide tield of research, not only of 

 great scientific interest, but also one having practical aspcx-ts not at 

 first apparent. From the nature of the investigation, also, the prol)- 

 lems seem to l)e specially suited for the application of the graphic 

 method of research. 



In 1875 an investigation was cai'ried out by Havet and Rosapelly'' 

 in tlie la})oratory of Professor Marey^, in Paris, in which the pressure 



« Reprinted by permission of the author and the pubhsher from Nature, London, 

 No. 1678, vol. 65, Dec. 26, 1901. 



''Read before the Section of Physiology at the meeting of the Uritisli Association 

 in Glasgow, September 13. References: Die Phonetische Literatur von 1876-1805, 

 by Hermann Breymann (Leipzig, 1897); The Articulation of Speecli Sounds by 

 Analphabetic Symbols, by Otto Jespersen (Marburg, 1889) ; L' Inscription des 

 Phenomenes Phonetique, by M. J. Marey (Revue Generale des Sciences, 15 ct l>() 

 Juin, 1898); Studies from the Yale Psychological Laboratory, by E. W. Scrii)tinT 

 (1899); Theorie de la Formation des Voyelles, by Marage (Paris, i)rix Barbier, 

 1900); La Parole d'apres le Trace du Phonographe, l)y H. Marichelle (Paris, 1897); 

 On Vowel Sounds, by J. G. McKendrick and A. A. (iray; Scluifer's Text-Book of 

 Physiology, vol. ii, p. 1206, in wliich the recent bibliography is given in delail. 



''Rosai)elly: Inscription des Movements Phonetiques, in Travaux dc bubor;itoire 

 de M. Marey (Paris, 1875). 



SM 1902—^10 ^^^1 



