1. Formants

    Formants refer to the spectral peaks produced by a resonant frequency of the vocal tract during speech production.

  2. Definition

    Formants are acoustic features of speech sounds that result from the resonant characteristics of the vocal tract, specifically the air column within it, and determine the quality of a sound.

  3. Vocal Tract and Resonance

    The vocal tract is a series of interconnected anatomical structures that include the oral cavity, nasal cavity, and pharynx. These structures shape the vocal tract into specific configurations during speech, creating different resonant frequencies for different sounds.

  4. Spectral Peaks

    When a sound wave passes through the vocal tract, certain frequencies get reinforced or amplified due to resonance, creating peaks in the sound spectrum. These peaks are called formants and are specific to each speech sound.

  5. Speech Sound Differentiation

    The position and number of formants in the spectrum help differentiate one speech sound from another. Vowels, for example, have distinct and identifiable formant patterns that contribute to their perceived quality and distinguish them from other vowels.

  6. Vowel Formants

    For vowels, the first two formants, known as F1 and F2, play a crucial role in differentiating between vowels. F1 primarily depends on the vertical opening of the oral cavity, while F2 depends on its horizontal constriction.

  7. Consonant Formants

    Consonants also have formant transitions that occur during their production. These transitions indicate rapid changes in the vocal tract’s configuration and contribute to the perception and recognition of different consonant sounds.