The-Dynamics-of-Voice-Characteristics-and-Functions-of-Speech.pptx

Discourse

1. The Dynamics of Voice: Characteristics and Functions of Speech Explore the intricate nature of human speech – its foundational attributes, unique properties, acquired skills, and the diverse purposes it serves in communication.

2. What is Speech? A Foundation for Understanding Speech is more than just making sounds; it's a complex, species-specific form of communication that distinguishes humans. It involves the intricate coordination of various physiological systems to produce articulate sounds, which are then organized into meaningful linguistic units. This dynamic process allows for the rapid exchange of ideas, emotions, and information, forming the bedrock of human social interaction and cultural development. Understanding speech requires examining both its physical production and its cognitive organization.

3. Defining Attributes: Vocal Production and Auditory-Vocal Channel Vocal Production Speech relies on the coordinated action of the respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory systems. Air from the lungs passes through the vocal cords, creating vibrations, which are then shaped by the tongue, lips, and palate to form distinct sounds like vowels and consonants. This precise muscular control enables the vast array of human sounds. Auditory-Vocal Channel This defines how speech is transmitted and received. Sounds produced vocally travel through the air as sound waves, reaching the listener's ear, which converts them back into neural signals for interpretation by the brain. This efficient channel allows for rapid, simultaneous speaking and listening, facilitating real-time dialogue and interaction.

4. Unique Properties: Arbitrariness and Duality of Patterning Arbitrariness There's no inherent, logical connection between a word's sound and its meaning. The sound sequence "tree" doesn't inherently resemble a tree. This arbitrary link allows for immense flexibility and creativity in language, as new meanings can be assigned to sounds, and new words coined without physical constraints. Duality of Patterning Speech has two levels of structure: a meaningless level (sounds/phonemes) and a meaningful level (words/morphemes). A small set of meaningless sounds combines to form a vast number of meaningful words, which then combine into sentences. This efficient system maximizes communicative power from a limited set of basic units.

5. Acquired Skills: Displacement, Cultural Transmission, and Learnability 1 Displacement The ability to talk about things not present in time or space – past, future, hypothetical events, or abstract concepts. This cognitive leap allows for storytelling, planning, and theorizing, extending communication beyond the immediate "here and now." 2 Cultural Transmission Speech is not innate but learned within a specific cultural context. Children acquire language by interacting with speakers in their environment, internalizing the rules, vocabulary, and nuances of their native tongue. This transmission ensures the continuity and evolution of languages across generations. 3 Learnability All typically developing humans can learn any language to which they are sufficiently exposed. This universal capacity highlights the biological predisposition for language acquisition, even though the specific language learned is culturally determined. The human brain is uniquely wired for linguistic learning.

6. Why Do We Speak? Exploring the fundamental purposes and diverse functions that drive human speech and communication.

7. Informing and Expressing: The Referential and Emotive Functions Referential Function This is the most common function: conveying information about the world. When we describe an event, state a fact, or explain a concept, we are using speech referentially. It focuses on the context and content of the message, aiming for clarity and accuracy. Emotive Function Speech also serves to express the speaker's emotions, attitudes, or intentions. Exclamations, intonation, and choice of words can all reveal how the speaker feels. This function is speaker-oriented, focusing on personal feelings rather than objective facts.

8. Connecting and Directing: The Phatic and Conative Functions Phatic Function Used to establish, maintain, or close communication channels, and to build social rapport. Examples include greetings ("Hello"), small talk about the weather, or polite conversational fillers ("You know?"). The content is less important than the act of connection itself. Conative Function This function aims to influence or direct the listener's behavior. Commands, requests, appeals, and persuasions all fall under this category. It is listener-oriented, seeking to elicit a specific response or action from the audience.

9. Exploring Nuance: The Metalinguistic and Poetic Functions Metalinguistic Function Speech used to talk about language itself. This includes defining words, correcting grammar, clarifying meaning, or discussing linguistic rules. It reflects our capacity for self-reflection regarding our communication tools, ensuring shared understanding and adherence to linguistic norms. Poetic Function Focuses on the message for its own sake, emphasizing its aesthetic or formal qualities. This function is prominent in poetry, songs, riddles, or even clever slogans, where the sound, rhythm, and structure of language are as important as its literal meaning. It highlights the artistry of speech.

10. Speech in Action: Integrating Characteristics and Functions From the biological mechanics of vocal production to the complex social and cognitive purposes it serves, human speech is a marvel of evolution and culture. Its arbitrary nature, duality of patterning, and capacity for displacement enable us to communicate with unparalleled richness and flexibility. Whether informing, expressing, connecting, directing, or reflecting on language itself, speech underpins nearly every aspect of our lives, allowing us to build societies, transmit knowledge, and express the full spectrum of human experience.