Uzbekistan state university of world languages english language faculty №2 Course paper Theme: General principiles of vowel formation

Chapter II. General principles of sound production and problems that arise
2.1. General principles of sound production
Mechanisms of speech sound production make vowels different from consonants. There are 4 main mechanisms that take part in the production of consonants: the power mechanism, the vibrator mechanism, the resonator mechanism and the obstructer mechanism. But the obstructer mechanism doesn’t take part in the production of vowels. From the auditory point of view a vowel is voice or tone, and the obstructer mechanism creates noise.
The leading mechanism for the production of vowels is the resonator mechanism.
The leading mechanism for the production of consonants is the obstructer mechanism.
Power mechanism
It differentiates the force of exhalation (which is weaker for vowels in comparison with consonants) and produces the air stream. The air stream makes the vocal cords vibrate and fills the resonators with air to produce sounds. The PM also differentiates muscular tension and takes part in the mechanism of aspiration (see the vibrator mechanism).
Vowels. 1) The muscular tension is diffused. 2) The PM modifies the force of the stream of air, accordingly, we differentiate between tense / i:, u:/ and lax /all the rest/ vowels.
Consonants. 1) The muscular tension is concentrated in the point of articulation. 2) The PM makes the vocal cords vibrate for voiced consonants, sonorants and semi-vowels and keeps the vocal cords apart for voiceless consonants. 3) According to the force of exhalation, consonants are subdivided into fortis /all voiceless consonants: p, t, k, h, etc. = we need more effort to produce them!/ and lenis /all voiced consonants: b, d, etc./
Vibrator mechanism
It is responsible for the vibration of the vocal cords which gives voice or tone. It also differentiates duration of vibration of the vocal cords.
Vowels. According to the duration of vibration of the vocal cords, we single out long / i:. u:, a:, o:, ә:/ and short /all the rest/ vowels. The length is historical.