From www.indiana.edu

Airstream Mechanisms

Ways of initiating airflow

Creating PressureCreating Pressure

We initiate airflow by creating pressure in the vocal tract.

Direction of initiatory movement creates 2 types of pressure:

1. Positive Pressure = Egressive = Outgoing2. Negative Pressure = Ingressive =

Incoming

3 Locations of Initiation3 Locations of Initiation

Intitation at lungs

Initiation at glottis

Initiation at velum

Six Initiation TypesSix Initiation Types Pulmonic Egressive (common) Pulmonic Ingressive (rare)

Glottalic Egressive (Ejectives) Glottalic Ingressive

(Implosives)

Velaric Egressive (Clicks) Velaric Ingressive (Not used)

Pulmonic InitiationPulmonic Initiation

Pulmonic Egressive – most common mechanism Air comes from lungs, through trachea

and larynx & and out mouth or nose Plosives, Stops in English, all vowels

[p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], etc.

Pulmonic Ingressive – very rare Speaking while sucking in

From Ladefoged 1993

Glottalic InitiationGlottalic Initiation

Air is trapped between glottis (vocal folds) & somewhere above in the vocal tract.

The larynx is then either raised or lowered, which makes air more or less dense.

The oral closure is released, and glottalic initiation is produced.

Glottalic Egressive – Ejectives Also known as “glottalized” Raised laryrnx – closed glottis pushes

upwards, compresses air, pushes air out [p’], [b’], [t’], [d’], [k’], [g’], etc.

Glotallic Ingressive – Implosives Lowered laryrnx – closed glottis pushes

downwards, makes air less dense, sucks air in

[], [], []

Steps in Glottalic Initiation

Ejectives Close glottis Make closure in

oral tract Raise larynxRaise larynx Release oral

closure Open glottis

Implosives Close glottis Make closure in

oral tract Lower larynxLower larynx Release oral

closure Open glottis

Ejective

From Ladefoged 1993

Implosive

From Ladefoged 1993

Velaric InitiationVelaric Initiation

Tongue dorsum (back) closes at velum, as if making a [k] (Hence: velaric)

Make closure somewhere else, more forward, in mouth

Move tongue down (which decreases pressure)

Release front closure Air rushes into mouth Release velaric closure Known as “clicks”

It is only possible to have ingressive velaric initiation; egressive is not possible

It is possible to overlay nasalization on clicks by sending air through nasal cavity

From Ladefoged 1993

Practice

Practice glottal stops (uh-oh)Practice raising glottis (singing high)Practice lowering glottis (singing low)

Put together for Ejectives & Implosives… Make glottal stop Make oral closure Raise/Lower Larynx Release oral closure Release glottal stop

Many have made clicks as “sound effects”

Bilabial clicks – slight kissing sound

Dental clicks – “Tsk tsk” sound

Alveolar lateral clicks – horse-calling sound

Self-TestSelf-Test

Which initiation type?1. Pressure builds completely in mouth 2. Air in pharynx is rarified (made less

dense)3. First step is glottal closure 4. Most commonly made sounds 5. Compressed air in pharynx causes

air to release with outwards with force

6. Also known as plosives 7. Common in some South African

languages8. First step is closure at soft

palate 9. Also known as glottalized 10.Possible ingressives11.Impossible sounds

1. Pressure builds completely in mouth * VELARIC INGRESSIVE (CLICKS)

2. Air in pharynx is rarified (made less dense)* GLOTTALIC INGRESSIVE (IMPLOSIVES)

3. First step is glottal closure * GLOTTALIC INGRESSIVE & EGRESSIVE

(IMPLOSIVES & EJECTIVES)

4. Most commonly made sounds * PULMONIC EGRESSIVES (PLOSIVES)

5. Compressed air in pharynx causes air to release outwards with force

* GLOTTALIC EGRESSIVE (EJECTIVES)

6. Also known as plosives * PULMONIC EGRESSIVE (PLOSIVES)

7. Common in some South African languages* VELARIC INGRESSIVES (CLICKS)

8. First step is closure at soft palate * VELARIC INGRESSIVE (CLICKS)

9. Also known as “glottalized” * GLOTTALIC EGRESSIVE (EJECTIVES)

10. Possible ingressives* PULMONIC INGRESSIVES (RARE), VELARIC

INGRESSIVES (CLICKS), GLOTTALIC INGRESSIVES (IMPLOSIVES)

11. Impossible sounds* VELARIC EGRESSIVES