What does it take to talk? Isn’t it just your mouth?

Image by @timothycdykes on Unsplash

 We often don’t give our bodies enough credit for all they do! We often speak automatically without any awareness of what needs to happen in order for us to speak! Several components and processes are involved in communicating verbally, talking, and communicating. These include: 

Speech Organs: To produce speech sounds, we use various speech organs such as the tongue, lips, teeth, alveolar ridge (bony ridge behind the upper front teeth), palate, vocal cords, and lungs. These organs work together to create the sounds needed for speech. 

Phonation: Phonation refers to the process of producing sound through the vocal cords in the larynx (voice box). When air from the lungs passes through the vocal cords, they vibrate, producing sound. 

Articulation: Articulation is the process of shaping the sounds into recognizable speech. The tongue, lips, and other speech organs move and interact to form specific sounds or phonemes. 

Resonance: Resonance refers to the tone or timbre of a person's voice, which is influenced by the size and shape of the vocal tract. 

Language Skills: To communicate effectively, we need language skills, including understanding and using vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and semantics. Language skills involve comprehension (receptive language) and expression (expressive language). 

Cognition: Cognition plays a significant role in language and communication. It involves memory, attention, problem-solving, and other cognitive processes that support understanding and generating meaningful speech. 

Auditory Processing: Auditory processing allows us to perceive and interpret sounds and language. It is crucial for listening and understanding spoken communication. 

Social-Emotional Skills: Communication is also influenced by social and emotional factors. These skills involve understanding social cues, taking turns in conversation, empathy, and expressing emotions appropriately. 

Motor Skills: Apart from the speech organs, other motor skills play a role in communication, such as the ability to control breathing for speaking, facial expressions, and gestures. 

Learning and Exposure: Learning from caregivers, family, and the environment is essential for acquiring language and communication skills, especially during early childhood. 

Overall, effective verbal communication requires the coordination of multiple systems, including the physical aspects of speech production, language skills, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional understanding. Individuals may have variations in these components, leading to differences in their speech and communication abilities. For those with speech or language challenges, speech-language pathologists can provide support and therapy to improve communication skills and enhance overall communication proficiency. 

Authors: Stephanie Mace, Brodi Killen, and Samantha Pearce; Educational and Developmental Psychologists - With You Allied Health Directors