Clicks
What is the main initiator in a click production? And what region(s) is it acting against?
The tongue is the main initiator; the tongue is placed against the region of the velum or the back of the hard palate, and then a second occlusion is made in front of that region, determining the place of articulation
What is the main initiator for this production? How could someone who has never used this organ for production learn how to move it?
The glottis / larynx (vocal folds are closed and larynx is lowered/raised). Swallow and feel your larynx move!
Describe what [a↓] and [a↑] mean in the extended IPA
An upward arrow notes egressive (normal) airflow and a downward arrow notes ingressive (anomalous) airflow
What is a laryngectomee? And what is the procedure that is done to them?
A person who has undergone the surgical procedure called a laryngectomy. This involves the surgical removal of all or part of the larynx, usually due to cancer.
What are one or two languages that clicks are found in?
E.g. Zulu, Xhosa, Hama
Describe the phonetic features of the [!] symbol
(Voiceless) postalveolar click
Have someone from your group produce these sounds: [k’] & [p’]
(Produce velar and bilabial ejectives)
Describe the phonetic features of the [ɠ] symbol
Voiced velar implosive
What is the role in the larynx aside from speech production and how can this affect a person who has their larynx removed?
The larynx also protects the lungs from food and liquid. If there were no larynx in the throat, then a person’s lungs would quickly be inundated with chunks of food and liquid. Therefore, in the case of the laryngectomee, the connection between the lungs and mouth must be severed. The mouth is then for food and liquid only, not for breathing. The vocal folds are no longer present to create voice.
How are clicks used in the English language (extra 100 points if you can give an example)?
Clicks take the form of interjections in English. This could be in the form of the expression some people have when they are disappointed: <tsk-tsk>
Describe the steps of articulation to produce a click
Place the tongue flat against the roof of the mouth (normally over the palatal and velar regions, but the exact location varies with different clicks).
Ensure that the edges of the tongue all around form a tight seal with the roof of the mouth.
While maintaining the seal around the edges, lower the central part of the tongue, creating an area of low pressure between the central region of the tongue and the roof of the mouth.
Release the contact between the edge(s) of the tongue and the roof of the mouth
Air rushes into the space that held the low pressure, making a sharp “clicking” sound.
Describe the difference between the production of an ejective and an implosive
The larynx moves down then up when producing an ejective. The opposite is done when producing an implosive.
What happens to the air pressure in the pharynx in relation to the outside air when one produces an implosive?
Phones produced with an ingressive glottalic airstream are commonly voiced, allowing airflow across the glottis, creating a larger difference in air pressure between the air in the pharynx and the air surrounding the talker. This makes implosives not produce the same popping sound that ejectives create.
What airstream mechanisms could one use after a laryngectomy (direction and initiators)?
E.g. egressive velaric (tongue), egressive buccal (cheeks and oral structures), egressive esophageal (esophagus) airstream mechanisms
Describe the physiological process behind burp-talking and why people are unable to sustain this form of production for long periods of time?
To produce burp-talking, air from the stomach or esophagus forces through the closed esophageal sphincter from inside the esophagus as the tissues vibrate at the narrowing. The air supply within the esophagus is limited, so people are unable to produce belch-talking for extended periods of time.