MECHANISM OF SPEECH 453 



Consonants. Some of the consonants have no sound in themselves 

 and serve merely to modify vowel-sounds. These are called mutes. 

 They are b, d, k, p, t, and c and g hard. Their office in the formation 

 of syllables is sufficiently apparent. 



The consonants known as semivowels are f, /, m, n, r, s, and c and g 

 soft. These have an imperfect sound of themselves, approaching in 

 character the true vowel-sounds. Some of these, /, m, n and r, from 

 the facility with which they flow into other sounds, are called liquids. 

 Orthoepists have further divided the consonants with reference to the 

 mechanism of their pronunciation : d, j, s, /, z y and g soft, being pro- 

 nounced with the tongue against the teeth, are called dentals ; d, g,j, k, 

 /, n and q are called palatals; b,p, f, v and m are called labials ; m, n 

 and ng are called nasals ; and k, q, and c and g hard are called gutturals. 

 After the description already given of the voice, it is not necessary to 

 discuss further the mechanism of these simple acts of articulation. 



For the easy and proper production of articulate sounds, integ- 

 rity of the mouth, teeth, lips, tongue and palate is essential. All are 

 acquainted with the modifications in articulation in persons in whom the 

 nasal cavities resound unnaturally from imperfection of the palate ; and 

 the slight peculiarities observed after loss of the teeth and in harelip are 

 sufficiently familiar. The tongue usually is regarded, also, as an impor- 

 tant organ of speech, and this is the fact in the great majority of cases ; 

 but instances are on record in which distinct articulation has been pre- 

 served after complete destruction of this organ. These cases, however, 

 are unusual and they do not invalidate the importance of the tongue in 

 ordinary speech. 



It is thus seen that speech consists essentially in a modification of 

 the vocal sounds by the accessory organs, or by parts situated above 

 the larynx ; the latter being the true vocal instrument. While the 

 peculiarities of pronunciation in different persons and the difficulty of 

 acquiring foreign languages after the habits of speech have been formed 

 show that the organs of articulation must perform their office with great 

 accuracy, their movements are simple and vary with the peculiarities 

 of different languages. 



Whispering. Articulate sounds may be produced by the action of 

 the resonant cavities, the lips, teeth and tongue, in which the larynx 

 takes no part. This action occurs in whispering and it can not properly 

 be called vocal. It is difficult to make any considerable variations in 

 the pitch of a whisper, and articulation in this way may be produced in 

 inspiration as well as in expiration, although the act in expiration is 

 more natural and easy. The character of a whisper may readily be 

 distinguished from that of the faintest audible sound involving vibration 



