\\i CHE LARYNX VOICE AND SPEECH 233 



act uratcly adjust the different muscles so as to produce the 

 proper tension of the cords, so that their vibration will give 

 the note he wishes. In women and in boys the vocal cords 

 are shorter and the whole larynx smaller than in men, and so 

 higher notes are produced. Similarly tenor and bass voices, 

 or alto and soprano voices, depend on small differences in the 

 construction of the larynx. 



Speech. Speech is produced by modifying the voice 

 arising in the larynx, by changing the form of the cavity of 

 the pharynx and mouth, by means of the tongue and lips. 



Pronounce the pure vowel sounds 



E (as in he) A (as in hay) A (as in ah) 



O (as in or) O (as in oh) OO (as in cool) 



and notice that they are produced by varying the form of the 

 cavity of the mouth, and the shape of the opening of the mouth 

 by drawing in or thrusting out the lips. The consonants 

 F, G, J, L, R, S, V, Z, are similarly produced by varying the 

 form of the cavity of the mouth by means of the lips and 

 tongue. The consonants M and N are produced by stopping 

 the current of air through the mouth, for M by closure of the 

 lips and for N by pressing the tongue against the palate. 

 Other consonants are called " explosive," because they are 

 produced by blocking the outgoing* air both through the nose 

 and mouth, and then suddenly bursting open the latter. Such 

 arc H, P, T, I), and K, and G (hard as in go). 



Whispering is due to a faint noise produced by the friction 

 of the air as it passes through the glottis, the sound being 

 modified to a feeble speech by movements of the tongue and 

 lips ; there is no vibration of the vocal cords. 



