= Articulatory phonetics
<Articulatory phonetics> studies how the moving structures of the <vocal tract> produce <speech>. Airflow supplies energy; <vocal fold> vibration can provide a repeating source; the <tongue>, <lips> and other articulators shape or interrupt the flow. Producing voice and shaping recognizable <speech> are related but distinguishable processes.<Voice, Speech, and Language: What are they? by NIDCD>[Text version, definitions of voice and speech; vocal-fold vibration and movements of the tongue and lips]{ref}
A simple observation compares a sustained “mmm” with a sustained “sss”. Lightly touching the outside of the throat can help detect the vibration accompanying <voicing>, while a mirror shows the different lip configurations. This is a qualitative demonstration: the external sensation alone does not measure the detailed motion of the <vocal folds>.
Descriptions of <consonants> commonly distinguish <place of articulation>, where a constriction is formed, from <manner of articulation>, how the airflow is modified. These descriptions explain why changing the <tongue> or <lips> can change the recorded <sound> without changing the source of airflow. <Acoustic phonetics> measures the resulting signal, while articulation describes its physical production.
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