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- It takes only about a fifth of a second to produce
a syllable.
- So while we speak, we move the lips, tongue and
jaw quite rapidly.
- The brain coordinates these movements in a very
ingenious way, such that movements needed for adjacent
vowels and consonants are produced simultaneously.
- This is known as coarticulation, and ensures that
speech is produced very smoothly.
- At the same time it spreads out acoustic
information about a vowel or consonant and helps a
listener understand what is being said.
- Coarticulation is thus also a very important part
of the special speech code that enables us to communicate
at five syllables a second.
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