How We Talk

Do you ever wonder how much is truly involved in communicating our feelings, our thoughts, our needs and desires? Do you ever kick yourself for saying something in the heat of the moment you didn't mean? I do. I kick myself for writing messages in the heat of the moment. As we grow older, we learn to control what comes out of our mouths. When we're young, all is fair game. We're more focused on expressing a thought correctly than the influence it will have on those who hear it.

Speaking begins with a person's thoughts; the brain formulates the thought and breaks it down into words, then into sentences, and finally, meaning. The act of speaking occurs by air coming up from the lungs, through the vocal folds, and out the mouth. We shape these sounds using our tongue (the tip, blade, front and back), upper and lower lips, upper and lower teeth, and the roof of the mouth in order to produce specific sounds and words. Speech sounds can differ by voice, place (where sounds are made in the mouth) and manner (the type of sound) (Stuckey 1).

How Do We Produce Different Types of Speech Sounds

Several different parts of the body, in fact, are used in the production of speech; not just our mouths. Our stomach muscles, lungs, voice box, tongue, teeth, lips, and even our nose are all used in the production of speech sounds. So, the thought originates in the brain. But where does the sound originate. Believe it or not, it originates in the stomach, with the diaphragm (the upper part of the stomach which controls the lungs). The diaphragm pushes air from the lungs into the voice box, which contains inside it numerous vocal cords that vibrate to produce your particular and distinct voice. Then, the lips, tongue, and teeth form the sounds to make speech, such as phonemes and words. For example, the tip of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth to produce the "d" sound while air is pushed out. When the tongue moves, the sounds the comes out changes. Over development, our minds create patterns for bodily movements to create specific words, or even phrases, to the point where it becomes second nature. It's quite phenomenal. So, your nose, eh? Don't believe me? Oh it's involved. Are people surrounding you? No? Good. Make the "mmmmmm" sound. You'll feel your throat and mouth vibrating. Now, pinch your nose, and try to make that sound again. Not so easy now, is it? 

What If My Child Has Difficulty Saying Speech Sounds?

Many children experience difficulty when attempting to create intelligible, clear and understandable speech. This can make it difficult for listeners to understand what they are saying. Speech sound production occurs on a developmental basis according to a child's age. By age 2, a child should be able to produce sounds such as p, d m, w, h, and n. By age 3: t, b, k, and g. By age 4-5: f, v, y. By age 5-7: s, z, j, l, r, sh, ch, th, blends (Stuckey 1). If you notice that your child is having trouble producing these sort of speech sounds around these ages, and if you recognize that they are having trouble speaking, as well as their listeners listening, it may be time to consult a speech therapist for a screening/evaluation of your child's speech production. Difficulty with producing intelligible speech is best tackled early on, and only becomes more difficult to treat as the mind tends to stick with its vocal patterns through development. 

Stuckey, Kevin. M.Ed., CCC-SLP. Super Duper Publications © 2009: How Do We Talk?