Articulator: meaning, definitions and examples

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articulator

[ɑːrˈtɪkjʊleɪtə ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

anatomy

A part of the body, especially a muscle or a bone, that moves to produce speech sounds.

Synonyms

speech organ, vocal apparatus.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
articulator	Usually used in linguistics and speech therapy to describe parts of the mouth and throat that produce speech sounds. The tongue is an important articulator in the production of various speech sounds. Speech therapists often work on strengthening the articulators.
speech organ	Generally used in anatomical and physiological contexts to refer to the various parts of the body involved in speech production. The speech organs include the lips, tongue, and larynx. Damage to any speech organ can affect a person's ability to speak clearly.
vocal apparatus	Often used in musical and professional speaking contexts to refer to the entire system involved in producing voice and sound. It can also be used in a more technical or scientific context. Opera singers need to take great care of their vocal apparatus. A healthy vocal apparatus is key to effective public speaking.

Word

Description / Examples

articulator

Usually used in linguistics and speech therapy to describe parts of the mouth and throat that produce speech sounds.

The tongue is an important articulator in the production of various speech sounds.
Speech therapists often work on strengthening the articulators.

speech organ

Generally used in anatomical and physiological contexts to refer to the various parts of the body involved in speech production.

The speech organs include the lips, tongue, and larynx.
Damage to any speech organ can affect a person's ability to speak clearly.

vocal apparatus

Often used in musical and professional speaking contexts to refer to the entire system involved in producing voice and sound. It can also be used in a more technical or scientific context.

Opera singers need to take great care of their vocal apparatus.
A healthy vocal apparatus is key to effective public speaking.

Examples of usage

The articulators in the mouth and throat are essential for producing different sounds in speech.
Proper control of the articulators is crucial for clear pronunciation.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

linguistics

A speech sound that is produced by the movement of articulators.

Synonyms

phoneme, speech sound.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
articulator	Use this word when referring to any part of the mouth, such as the tongue, lips, or palate, involved in the production of speech sounds. The tongue is an important articulator in forming different speech sounds. Speech therapists often focus on strengthening the articulators.
phoneme	Use this word when discussing the smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish one word from another. The phoneme /b/ in 'bat' and /p/ in 'pat' differentiate the two words. Learning the different phonemes is essential for mastering pronunciation in a new language.
speech sound	This term is appropriate in general discussions about the sounds produced in spoken language without delving into technical linguistic terms. Children learn to produce different speech sounds as they develop their speaking abilities. She worked with a speech therapist to improve her speech sounds.

Word

Description / Examples

articulator

Use this word when referring to any part of the mouth, such as the tongue, lips, or palate, involved in the production of speech sounds.

The tongue is an important articulator in forming different speech sounds.
Speech therapists often focus on strengthening the articulators.

phoneme

Use this word when discussing the smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish one word from another.

The phoneme /b/ in 'bat' and /p/ in 'pat' differentiate the two words.
Learning the different phonemes is essential for mastering pronunciation in a new language.

speech sound

This term is appropriate in general discussions about the sounds produced in spoken language without delving into technical linguistic terms.

Children learn to produce different speech sounds as they develop their speaking abilities.
She worked with a speech therapist to improve her speech sounds.

Examples of usage

The English language has a wide range of articulators such as vowels and consonants.
Studying articulators helps linguists understand the phonetic structure of a language.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word originates from Latin 'articulare', meaning 'to divide into distinct parts'.
In linguistics, an 'articulator' refers to the organs in our mouth that help form words.
The term has been in use since the 14th century, primarily in contexts related to speech and articulation.

Anatomy

Main articulators include the tongue, lips, palate, and vocal cords, all essential for speech.
The movements of these articulators determine the different sounds we use in language.
Dysfunction in any articulator can lead to speech difficulties such as slurring or difficulty pronouncing certain sounds.

Linguistics

In phonetics, articulators are classified into categories based on their function (e.g., passive and active articulators).
The place of articulation refers to where the airflow restriction occurs in the vocal tract during sound production.
Different languages utilize different articulators, which can produce unique sounds that are not found in others.

Cognitive Science

The coordination of articulators is a complex process involving both motor skills and cognitive planning.
Studies show that practicing articulation can enhance language skills in children and even adults.
Speech therapy often focuses on improving the function of articulators to assist those with communication challenges.

Technology

Speech recognition software relies on understanding how humans use articulators to produce speech.
Advancements in AI include mimicking human articulation for more realistic voice synthesis.
Research in robotics is exploring mechanical articulators that replicate human speech production.

Translations

Translations of the word "articulator" in other languages:

🇵🇹 articulador

🇮🇳 उच्चारण करने वाला

🇩🇪 Artikulator

🇮🇩 artikulasi

🇺🇦 артикулятор

🇵🇱 artykulator

🇯🇵 発音器

🇫🇷 articulateur

🇪🇸 articulador

🇹🇷 artikülatör

🇰🇷 조음기

🇸🇦 مُفَصِّل

🇨🇿 artikulátor

🇸🇰 artikulátor

🇨🇳 发音器

🇸🇮 artikulator

🇮🇸 talaðgjafi

🇰🇿 артикулятор

🇬🇪 არტიკულატორი

🇦🇿 artikulyator

🇲🇽 articulador