The Respiratory System:
* Lungs: Provide the air that is the source of sound.
* Diaphragm: The main muscle of respiration, controls airflow.
The Phonatory System:
* Larynx: The "voice box" containing the vocal cords, which vibrate to produce sound.
The Articulatory System:
* Mouth: The cavity where sounds are shaped and modified.
* Tongue: A highly mobile muscle that manipulates air to create different sounds.
* Teeth: Used for articulation and shaping sounds.
* Hard palate: The bony roof of the mouth.
* Soft palate: The fleshy part of the roof of the mouth, helps control airflow.
* Lips: Used to shape sounds and create closure.
The Nervous System:
* Brain: Controls all aspects of speech production, including planning, coordination, and execution.
It's important to remember that these organs work together in a highly coordinated way to produce speech. Even slight variations in how these organs function can lead to differences in speech production, including different accents and languages.
Therefore, it's more accurate to think of speech as a complex process involving multiple organs working together, rather than a single "organ of speech".