Some Notes on the Physiology of Speech Production

Three different topics in speech research are discussed from the point of view of the physiology of the speech production mechanism. Concerning the problem of the laryngeal adjustments for the voicing distinction, fairly clear physiological evidence has been obtained about the abduction-adduction dimension of the glottis, while the tenseness feature of the vocal folds is still to be examined. Detailed analysis of the articulatory movements in syllable repetition is considered to be a promising approach for the study of articulatory dynamics in both normal and pathological cases. Neurophysiological studies of the cerebro-cerebellar communication system as a control mechanism of skilled voluntary movements should be referred to in the study of motor control of speech production.