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speech organ

• any part of the body, as the tongue, velum, diaphragm, or lungs, that participates, actively or passively, voluntarily or involuntarily, in the production of the sounds of speech.

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Something to Talk About: The Anatomy of Speech Sounds

Posted on 2/21/19 by Laura Snider

When it comes to communication, humans are pretty unique. Our mouths and throats are specialized to create a wide array of sounds, and the fact that we string those sounds together to transfer thoughts from one brain to another is a pretty impressive feat in the animal kingdom. One thing I found on the path to my master’s degree in linguistics is that the more you learn about humans’ language capabilities, the more you feel awed by just how amazing they are!

How do our vocal tracts produce the range of sounds used in human language? What are the biological underpinnings of speech production? Stay tuned to find out.

A Tour of the Vocal Tract

The pathway air takes from our lungs to the outside world isn’t just a smooth, featureless tube. That would actually be pretty weird. Instead, the vocal tract is full of lots of muscles and structures that can obstruct the stream of air at various points along its journey, creating the sounds that make up the languages we speak.     

A brief video introduction to the vocal tract!  Footage from  Human Anatomy Atlas 2019 . 

When we exhale, air travels from the lungs up into the trachea. The first place where we can start messing with the air stream is the larynx, which is perched at the top of the trachea. We can contract muscles in the larynx to manipulate bands of tissue called the vocal cords (or vocal folds). The vibration of the vocal cords is called phonation .

By regulating the tension of the vocal cords and changing the amount of space between them (the glottis), we can modulate the pitch, volume, and tonal quality of our voices. There is a continuum of phonation types , from whispering to “creaky voice” (similar to vocal fry ).

We can also completely stop the stream of air by fully closing the distance between the vocal folds. This gives us the glottal stop (think of the sound you make between the syllables of “uh-oh”).

Next, let’s talk about the tongue. The tongue is made up of four intrinsic muscles: the superior lingualis, inferior lingualis, vertical lingualis, and transverse lingualis. There are also four extrinsic tongue muscles that help the tongue move: the genioglossus, hyoglossus, palatoglossus, and styloglossus.

The tongue is one of the most active of the articulators in the vocal tract. It can impede the flow of air by coming in contact with the oropharyngeal wall, soft palate (velum), hard palate, and alveolar ridge (the part of the hard palate just behind the front teeth).

It’s no wonder that the tongue has so many muscles helping it out—it needs to be pretty versatile to make the specific movements required for speech! Movements of the mouth, face, tongue, and larynx are so important, in fact, that a large portion of the primary motor cortex is devoted to them.

You might recognize the image below (the motor homunculus) from the neuromuscular interaction article from a few weeks back. The face/tongue/larynx and hands are depicted as the largest parts of the body in the homunculus representation because of the large regions of motor cortex devoted to their intricate motions.

Speech Sounds: Let's Make Some Noise!

Now we’re going to put all the muscle-y stuff together with some linguistics to give a more complete picture of how the motions of your articulators create particular sounds.

Phoneticians (linguists who study the articulatory and/or acoustic properties of speech sounds) have grouped the speech sounds humans make into several categories. There are vowels and consonants, of course, but there are also lots of smaller distinctions within those categories.

Let’s start with vowels. Vowels don’t involve stopping the stream of air as it travels up from the lungs, but they do involve changing the shape and size of the space through which the air passes. The vocal cords must also be vibrating in order for a vowel sound to be produced. If you’re an English speaker, try going through the vowel sounds “ah” “ey” “ee” “oh” and “ooh” and pay attention to how the shape of your lips and the amount of space inside your mouth changes. Vowel sounds can also combine to form diphthongs .

Linguists typically group vowels based on their tongue height (high, mid, low), tension (tense, lax), and tongue position (front, central, back) as well as whether the lips are rounded.

In contrast, a consonant is basically any sound that isn’t a vowel. They involve stopping the flow of air, either fully or partially, and releasing it again. Consonants are categorized by their place and manner of articulation.

The place of articulation refers to the point at which the airflow is impeded. This can occur at the lips, teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, oropharyngeal wall, epiglottis, and glottis. Much of the time, the tongue is responsible for blocking the air stream, but glottal, epiglottal, bilabial (lips are pressed together), and labiodental (top teeth press against bottom lip) sounds are notable exceptions to this generalization.

The manner of articulation refers to what happens to the air. Stop consonants (p, b, t, d, k, hard g) completely obstruct the flow of air before releasing it again. Fricatives (like s or f) create a narrow space for air to pass through, giving them a hissing sound. Affricates (ch, j) are roughly between a stop and a fricative. Approximants (r, l, w, y) involve articulators coming close enough together to qualify as a consonant rather than a vowel, but no friction is created.

Nasal sounds (like English n, m, and ng) are not your average consonants. Basically, airflow is blocked in the mouth, as in a stop consonant, but the air is allowed to flow out through the nasal cavity because the velum (soft palate) is lowered.

Pathologies

When we string sounds and syllables into words and phrases, the primary motor cortex works together with regions of the brain, such as Broca’s area (BA 44–45), that deal with computational aspects of language production. Damage to Broca’s area results in expressive aphasia ( Broca’s aphasia ), which is characterized by patients having difficulty producing fluent speech, especially when complex grammar is required.

There are also a number of pathologies that can affect the articulatory/neuromuscular component of speech production.

One of these is dysarthria , in which neurological damage from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or degenerative disorders (ALS, MS, Dementia) makes it difficult to move the muscles that produce speech sounds. This is due to a disruption in the transmission of motor signals from the brain to the articulators. Direct damage to the speech organs can result in a condition called peripheral dysarthria. Typical symptoms of dysarthria include speech that is too fast or slow, slurred, or mumbled. People with dysarthria may also have trouble moving their jaw, tongue, or lips.

Another condition affecting speech articulation is a developmental disorder called childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) . Potential causes for CAS can include (but are not limited to) brain damage or underlying genetic conditions. Unlike dysarthria, CAS does not involve muscle weakness. Children with CAS do still have trouble moving their muscles to make speech sounds, but this problem lies more with motor planning than disruptions in the transmission of signals from brain to muscle. Whew! That was a lot of sounds. And just think—every time you speak, your brain and muscles coordinate the required movements at lightning speed! What’s more, the sounds of English are only a piece of the full sound inventory of the world’s languages. Check out UCLA’s phonetics archive to learn more (you can listen to just about any type of speech sound on this site—it’s awesome!).

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Phonation Types

Cortical Language Areas

Evolution of the Vocal Tract

Human vs. Ape Vocal Tracts

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2.1 How Humans Produce Speech

Phonetics studies human speech. Speech is produced by bringing air from the lungs to the larynx (respiration), where the vocal folds may be held open to allow the air to pass through or may vibrate to make a sound (phonation). The airflow from the lungs is then shaped by the articulators in the mouth and nose (articulation).

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Video script.

The field of phonetics studies the sounds of human speech.  When we study speech sounds we can consider them from two angles.   Acoustic phonetics ,  in addition to being part of linguistics, is also a branch of physics.  It’s concerned with the physical, acoustic properties of the sound waves that we produce.  We’ll talk some about the acoustics of speech sounds, but we’re primarily interested in articulatory phonetics , that is, how we humans use our bodies to produce speech sounds. Producing speech needs three mechanisms.

The first is a source of energy.  Anything that makes a sound needs a source of energy.  For human speech sounds, the air flowing from our lungs provides energy.

The second is a source of the sound:  air flowing from the lungs arrives at the larynx. Put your hand on the front of your throat and gently feel the bony part under your skin.  That’s the front of your larynx . It’s not actually made of bone; it’s cartilage and muscle. This picture shows what the larynx looks like from the front.

This next picture is a view down a person’s throat.

What you see here is that the opening of the larynx can be covered by two triangle-shaped pieces of skin.  These are often called “vocal cords” but they’re not really like cords or strings.  A better name for them is vocal folds .

The opening between the vocal folds is called the glottis .

We can control our vocal folds to make a sound.  I want you to try this out so take a moment and close your door or make sure there’s no one around that you might disturb.

First I want you to say the word “uh-oh”. Now say it again, but stop half-way through, “Uh-”. When you do that, you’ve closed your vocal folds by bringing them together. This stops the air flowing through your vocal tract.  That little silence in the middle of “uh-oh” is called a glottal stop because the air is stopped completely when the vocal folds close off the glottis.

Now I want you to open your mouth and breathe out quietly, “haaaaaaah”. When you do this, your vocal folds are open and the air is passing freely through the glottis.

Now breathe out again and say “aaah”, as if the doctor is looking down your throat.  To make that “aaaah” sound, you’re holding your vocal folds close together and vibrating them rapidly.

When we speak, we make some sounds with vocal folds open, and some with vocal folds vibrating.  Put your hand on the front of your larynx again and make a long “SSSSS” sound.  Now switch and make a “ZZZZZ” sound. You can feel your larynx vibrate on “ZZZZZ” but not on “SSSSS”.  That’s because [s] is a voiceless sound, made with the vocal folds held open, and [z] is a voiced sound, where we vibrate the vocal folds.  Do it again and feel the difference between voiced and voiceless.

Now take your hand off your larynx and plug your ears and make the two sounds again with your ears plugged. You can hear the difference between voiceless and voiced sounds inside your head.

I said at the beginning that there are three crucial mechanisms involved in producing speech, and so far we’ve looked at only two:

• Energy comes from the air supplied by the lungs.
• The vocal folds produce sound at the larynx.
• The sound is then filtered, or shaped, by the articulators .

The oral cavity is the space in your mouth. The nasal cavity, obviously, is the space inside and behind your nose. And of course, we use our tongues, lips, teeth and jaws to articulate speech as well.  In the next unit, we’ll look in more detail at how we use our articulators.

So to sum up, the three mechanisms that we use to produce speech are:

• respiration at the lungs,
• phonation at the larynx, and
• articulation in the mouth.

Essentials of Linguistics Copyright © 2018 by Catherine Anderson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What does speech organ mean?

Definitions for speech organ speech organ, this dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word speech organ ., princeton's wordnet rate this definition: 3.5 / 2 votes.

speech organ, vocal organ, organ of speech noun

any of the organs involved in speech production

ChatGPT Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes

Speech organ.

A speech organ is any part of the human body that contributes to the production of speech. This can include structures such as the lungs, vocal cords, tongue, teeth, lips, palate, nasal cavity and various other parts of the throat. These organs work together to create different sounds that form words and sentences in spoken languages.

Wikidata Rate this definition: 1.0 / 1 vote

Speech organ

Speech organs produce the many sounds needed for language. Organs used include the lips, teeth, tongue, alveolar ridge, hard palate, velum, uvula and glottis. Speech organs—or articulators—are of two types: passive articulators and active articulators. Passive articulators remain static during the articulation of sound. Upper lips, teeth, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate, uvula, and pharynx wall are passive articulators. Active articulators move relative to these passive articulators to produce various speech sounds, in different manners. The most important active articulator is the tongue. The lower lip and glottis are other active articulators.

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How to pronounce speech organ.

Alex US English David US English Mark US English Daniel British Libby British Mia British Karen Australian Hayley Australian Natasha Australian Veena Indian Priya Indian Neerja Indian Zira US English Oliver British Wendy British Fred US English Tessa South African

How to say speech organ in sign language?

Chaldean Numerology

The numerical value of speech organ in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

Pythagorean Numerology

The numerical value of speech organ in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

• ^  Princeton's WordNet http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=speech organ
• ^  ChatGPT https://chat.openai.com
• ^  Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=speech organ

Translations for speech organ

From our multilingual translation dictionary.

• organ bicara Indonesian
• ออร์แกน Thai

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The Organs of Speech

There are a lot of organs which help a person speak with proper pronunciation and clarity. Some organs are helpful in differentiating the sounds through articulation.

They act as the main source of energy for speech. It has small air pockets called alveoles in which oxygen is stored. When the air in the alveolus is pushed up, the displaced air comes up the windpipe (trachea) and reaches the larynx. The air passes through the larynx and reaches pharynx. By adjusting the various parts in the mouth different speech sounds are produced before the lung air goes out into the atmosphere either through the mouth (oral passage) or the nose (nasal passage).

It is the protruding part of the throat commonly called Adam’s apple. It is also known as the soundbox of the body.

Vocal cords

They are two elastic strips placed across the larynx facing each other. They are fixed at one end (far end) and free at the other. In the case of normal breathing, the vocal cords are drawn apart leaving a gap between them through which the air passes freely from the lungs. This gap between the vocal cords is known as glottis. Sometimes while speaking, the vocal cords are brought into contact with each other gently. In this position, the air from the lungs pushes through these vocal cords setting them in vibration. Speech sounds that are produced with the vocal cords vibrating are known as voiced sounds, e.g. /z/. sometimes, speech sounds are produced with the vocal cords, not in contact with each other and hence not vibrating such speech sounds which are known as voiceless sounds. E.g. /s/

Glottal Stop /p/

It happens when the vocal cords are brought into contact with each other rather firmly and thus stopping the air from passing through them.

The two lips are flexible organs of speech. They can combine with each other to produce certain sounds, e.g. /p, b/. sometimes the lower lip can combine with upper front teeth to produce certain sounds, e.g. /f, v/

The Roof of the Mouth

It consists of the upper front teeth, alveolar ridge, palate or hard palate and soft palate.

The upper front teeth are fixed part of speech. The upper front teeth can combine with the lower lip to produce some sounds like /f, v/. they can also combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds like /ð/ as in this, either, θ as in thing, myth .

Alveolar Ridge

It is a hard, bulging, bony part found immediately behind the upper front teeth. This can combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds like /l, t, n/

It is also known as a hard palate.it is the hard-concave part of the roof of the mouth. Sometimes it can combine with the tongue to produce certain sounds, e.g. /j/

Soft Palate

It is soft, loosely hanging, the fleshy part after the hard palate. This can be in 3 positions.

• In between the wall of the mouth and back of the tongue. This is the position of the soft palate in the case of normal breathing. This position is also known as a neutral position. It can be raised sufficiently to be in firm contact with the wall of the mouth.  Then the nasal passage is completely blocked, and all the lung air passes out only through the oral passage (mouth).
• It can also be lowered sufficiently to be in firm contact with the back of the tongue. Thus, the oral passage is completely locked and all the air from the lung passes out only through the nasal passage (nose).
• Certain sounds are produced with soft palate and the tongue combining with each other. E.g. /k, g/. the tip of the soft palate is called vellum.

It is the most flexible part; the prime organ of speech. The tongue is divided into 4 parts namely, the tip, the blade, the front, and the back. The tip of the tongue can move in the direction of the back part of the upper front teeth in the production of certain sounds. / ð, θ/

It can combine with the alveolar ridge to produce certain sounds, /t, s, n/

The front of the tongue can combine with the hard palate to produce certain sounds, /I, i:, j/

The back of the tongue combines with the soft palate to produce certain sounds, /k/.

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Organs of Speech with diagram | Classification of Organs of speech | Try.Fulfil.

Discuss different organs of speech in producing speech sounds with diagram/ draw a labelled diagram to show the articulatory organs of speech production , organs of speech with diagram, organs of speech diagram, d efinition of  organs of speech,  classification of  organs of speech,  difference between voiced and voiceless,  try.fulfil..

Diagram of the Organs of Speech: Short Answer :

Difference between voiced and voiceless:.

Organs of Speech Diagram : Broad answer:

Definition of organs of speech with diagram:.

Classification of Organs of Speech:

• A bladder-like structure.
• Made of alveolic.
• Air passes to lungs through trachea.
• Muscles of the lungs expand and contract for ingression or egression.
• The lung air stream is called pulmonic air stream mechanism.
• Pulmonic air stream: 1. Aggressive. 2. Ingressive.
• Aggressive air stream produces speech sounds.
• Ingressive air stream produces non-linguistic sounds.

Organsof speech with Diagram: Larynx:

• Placed right behind the Adam’s apple.
• It is mostly called Sound Box.
• Vocal cords are the main organs of larynx.
• Vocal cords are held together – Arytenoids Cartilages (Vocal cords’ structure name).
• Vocal cords are wide – air passes freely. (Example: /f, s/)
• Vocal cords are combined – air can’t pass freely, there is vibration.
• Vibration in cords – voiced sounds are produced.
• No vibration in cords – voiceless sounds are produced.
• Opened vocal cord is called Glottis.
• In different states of glottis – several sounds are produce.
• Types of glottis – voiced, voiceless, murmur and creaky voice

Organsof speech with Diagram: Pharynx:

Ø   A tube-like structure with two ends.

Ø   One ends goes to the mouth – Oral cavity.

Ø   Other end goes to the nose – Nasal cavity.

Ø   Opening / Closing of pharynx managed by – Velum / Soft palate.

Ø   Full region of pharynx – Vocal tract.

Ø   Organs of oral cavity – Upper jaw, lower jaw, palate.

Ø   Oral cavity also contains tongue. A tongue has five parts: tip,blade, front, middle and back.

Ø   Nasal cavity – A blank structure.

Ø   Two openings in the Nasal cavity – Nostrils.

* See the diagram of Pharynx in the upper side of this text.

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Bill clinton made the case for democrats' handling of the economy and jobs, published august 21, 2024 • updated on august 21, 2024 at 10:35 pm.

Editor's note: The text of the speech below is as prepared. His actual delivery may have varied.

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Good evening. After the last two days, am I proud to be a Democrat! I’m especially proud of President Biden, who came to office during the pandemic and an economic crash. He healed us and got us back to work. He strengthened our alliances for freedom and security.

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Now, how does Donald Trump use his voice? Mostly to talk about himself—his vengeance, vendettas, complaints, conspiracies. The next time you hear him, don’t count the lies—count the I’s. He’s like the tenor warming up before the opera: me, me, me, me. Kamala Harris is focused on you.

Do you want to build a strong economy from the bottom up and the middle out? Or do you want to spend the next four years talking about crowd sizes? Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, America has created about 51 million new jobs—about 50 million under Democrats, 1 million under Republicans. 50 to 1! Coach Walz will tell ya, if you’re up 50 to 1—you’re winning!

Do you want more affordable housing, affordable health care, and affordable child care? Do you want more financing for small businesses? Do you want to strengthen our alliances and stand up for freedom and democracy around the world? Or a tribute to the “late great” Hannibal Lecter? Do you want to save our country and our world from the calamities of climate change? Or obsess on the vital debate between getting eaten by sharks or electrocuted? President Obama once famously called me the Explainer in Chief, but folks—but I can’t even.

I want an America that’s more joyful, inclusive, and future-focused. Where we weather the storms and earn the benefits together. That’s the America Kamala Harris will lead. She’s already made her first presidential decision, picking a running mate. And boy, did she knock it out of the park. She called Tim Walz for duty one more time. He’s the real deal with a record—as a coach, as a teacher, as a soldier, as a congressman, and as a great governor—to prove it. And he reminds us of home.

Kamala Harris has fought for kids that were left out and left behind. She’s taken on gangs trafficking across the border, and fought to protect the rights of homeowners. She’s been our leader in the fight for reproductive freedom, and advanced America’s interests and values all over the world. She’ll work to make sure that no American working full-time has to live in poverty and that homeownership is an achievable dream, not a privilege. She’ll protect your right to vote, including your right to vote for someone else.

For 250 years, the forces of division have tried to halt the march of progress in this beautiful experiment of ours. In the face of stiff, often violent opposition, we have kept hope alive and kept marching forward together.

Kamala Harris’s story is the story of an America we all know is possible. Where “We the People” continually strive to make our union more perfect. One where a daughter of the Bay and a son of the Heartland can be the president and vice president.

We should not despair about America’s divisions, because we move from happiness to heartbreak, from building and breaking to rebuilding and making. We do the best we can. Until, in God’s good time, there comes a new generation to pick up where we left off. That’s the opportunity we’re given now. To pick an extraordinary woman, clearly up to the job, who’ll bring us together and move us forward.

So, talk to your neighbors. Meet people where they are. Don’t demean them. Ask them for their help. And ask them, as Kamala still does, “How can I help you?” We’ve got a lot of hay in the barn—we just need to saddle up and ride with strength through November. If America hires Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, we will never regret it.

Take it from the Man from Hope, Kamala Harris is the woman from joy. And we will make a joyful noise on Election Day if you do your part. Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.

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phonetics , the study of speech sounds and their physiological production and acoustic qualities. It deals with the configurations of the vocal tract used to produce speech sounds (articulatory phonetics), the acoustic properties of speech sounds (acoustic phonetics), and the manner of combining sounds so as to make syllables , words, and sentences (linguistic phonetics).

Articulatory phonetics

The traditional method of describing speech sounds is in terms of the movements of the vocal organs that produce them. The main structures that are important in the production of speech are the lungs and the respiratory system , together with the vocal organs shown in Figure 1 . The airstream from the lungs passes between the vocal cords , which are two small muscular folds located in the larynx at the top of the windpipe. The space between the vocal cords is known as the glottis . If the vocal cords are apart, as they are normally when breathing out, the air from the lungs will have a relatively free passage into the pharynx (see Figure 1 ) and the mouth. But if the vocal cords are adjusted so that there is a narrow passage between them, the airstream will cause them to be sucked together. As soon as they are together there will be no flow of air, and the pressure below them will be built up until they are blown apart again. The flow of air between them will then cause them to be sucked together again, and the vibratory cycle will continue. Sounds produced when the vocal cords are vibrating are said to be voiced , as opposed to those in which the vocal cords are apart, which are said to be voiceless.

The air passages above the vocal cords are known collectively as the vocal tract. For phonetic purposes they may be divided into the oral tract within the mouth and the pharynx, and the nasal tract within the nose. Many speech sounds are characterized by movements of the lower articulators— i.e., the tongue or the lower lip—toward the upper articulators within the oral tract. The upper surface includes several important structures from the point of view of speech production, such as the upper lip and the upper teeth; Figure 1 illustrates most of the terms that are commonly used. The alveolar ridge is a small protuberance just behind the upper front teeth that can easily be felt with the tongue. The major part of the roof of the mouth is formed by the hard palate in the front, and the soft palate or velum at the back. The soft palate is a muscular flap that can be raised so as to shut off the nasal tract and prevent air from going out through the nose. When it is raised so that the soft palate is pressed against the back wall of the pharynx there is said to be a velic closure. At the lower end of the soft palate is a small hanging appendage known as the uvula.

As may be seen from Figure 1 , there are also specific names for different parts of the tongue . The tip and blade are the most mobile parts. Behind the blade is the so-called front of the tongue; it is actually the forward part of the body of the tongue and lies underneath the hard palate when the tongue is at rest. The remainder of the body of the tongue may be divided into the centre, which is partly beneath the hard palate and partly beneath the soft palate; the back, which is beneath the soft palate; and the root, which is opposite the back wall of the pharynx.

The major division in speech sounds is that between vowels and consonants . Phoneticians have found it difficult to give a precise definition of the articulatory distinction between these two classes of sounds. Most authorities would agree that a vowel is a sound that is produced without any major constrictions in the vocal tract, so that there is a relatively free passage for the air. It is also syllabic. This description is unsatisfactory in that no adequate definition of the notion syllabic has yet been formulated.

In the formation of consonants, the airstream through the vocal tract is obstructed in some way. Consonants can be classified according to the place and manner of this obstruction. Some of the possible places of articulation are indicated by the arrows going from one of the lower articulators to one of the upper articulators in Figure 1 . The principal terms that are required in the description of English articulation , and the structures of the vocal tract that they involve are: bilabial, the two lips; dental, tongue tip or blade and the upper front teeth; alveolar, tongue tip or blade and the teeth ridge; retroflex, tongue tip and the back part of the teeth ridge; palato-alveolar, tongue blade and the back part of the teeth ridge; palatal, front of tongue and hard palate; and velar, back of tongue and soft palate. The additional places of articulation shown in Figure 1 are required in the description of other languages. Note that the terms for the various places of articulation denote both the portion of the lower articulators ( i.e., lower lip and tongue) and the portion of the upper articulatory structures that are involved. Thus velar denotes a sound in which the back of the tongue and the soft palate are involved, and retroflex implies a sound involving the tip of the tongue and the back part of the alveolar ridge. If it is necessary to distinguish between sounds made with the tip of the tongue and those made with the blade, the terms apical (tip) and laminal (blade) may be used.

There are six basic manners of articulation that can be used at these places of articulation: stop , fricative, approximant, trill, tap, and lateral .

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What is neurodivergent? Tim Walz's son, Gus, puts condition in the spotlight at DNC

Most Americans were introduced to Gus Walz, the 17-year-old son of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Wednesday when he rose to his feet and shouted, "That's my dad!" in response to the Democratic vice presidential nominee's rousing speech on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

That heartwarming moment became a highlight of a night that included a speech by former President Bill Clinton and singer John Legend and singer/drummer Sheila E's stellar rendition of "Purple Rain" by Prince, another one of Minnesota's famous sons.

But ever since Walz was put into the national spotlight when Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate earlier this month , the plain-speaking former football coach and public-school teacher has not shied away from talking about his family, including him and his wife, Gwen's use of fertility treatments to have their two children, Hope, 23, and Gus, 17. He's also spoken about his son's learning differences.

What is Guz Walz's learning disorder?

In an interview with People Magazine , Walz and his wife shared that their son has ADHD,  a nonverbal learning disorder  and an anxiety disorder. In a statement to People Magazine, Walz and his wife said they had noticed his differences at an early age, and said they  never considered  his conditions to be an obstacle.

"Like so many American families, it took us time to figure out how to make sure we did everything we could to make sure Gus would be set up for success as he was growing up," the couple told People Magazine.

"It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback — it’s his secret power," they added.

What is neurodivergent?

Neurodivergent is a nonmedical term to describe people whose brain differences affect how their brain works, according to the Cleveland Clinic . People considered neurodivergent have different strengths and challenges than people without these differences, which can include medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions, the clinic website continues .

Also citing information from the Cleveland Clinic , the People article went on to explain that non-verbal learning disorders like the one Walz's son have are manageable with intervention, but impact how children absorb and utilize information. It also clarified that "non-verbal," in this case, is not the same as "non-speaking."

The spotlight on the Walz family raises public awareness

Advocates for Americans with learning disabilities believe the Walz family's openness about their son and their willingness to speak publicly about the experience will raise much-needed visibility that could help others who are going through similar issues.

“It’s a good thing when people in politics, who are running for office, are comfortable discussing disability issues and don’t view it as a topic that is taboo or something that we shouldn’t discuss,” said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Washington-based Autistic Self Advocacy Network to USA TODAY .

When public figures are open about their experiences with disability or those of their family, that can lead more people to feel comfortable disclosing their own disabilities or talking about their family’s experiences, Gross said.

“That’s helpful,” she said, “because in order to talk about the needs of the disability community, we need to be comfortable discussing disability as a society, just like we talk about the needs of any marginalized population.”

More: 'Forget politics': How Tim Walz's son, Gus, floored TV news hosts, from MSNBC to Fox News

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Michelle Obama’s Speech Turns Trump’s ‘Black Jobs’ Line Against Him

The former first lady enthralled a packed arena on Tuesday evening with one of the Democratic National Convention’s most emphatic takedowns of Donald J. Trump.

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Michelle Obama Speaks on Second Night of Democratic Convention

The former first lady delivered a takedown of former president donald j. trump, asking, “who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘black jobs’”.

For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us. See, his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. I want to know. I want to know who’s going to tell him? Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs?

By Katie Rogers

Reporting from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

• Published Aug. 21, 2024 Updated Aug. 22, 2024

Michelle Obama, the former first lady and one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, delivered one of the Democratic National Convention’s most emphatic takedowns of former President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday night and turned one of his most controversial campaign lines against him: “Who’s going to tell him that the job he’s currently seeking might just be one of those ‘Black jobs’?” she said.

Mrs. Obama, a reluctant campaigner, enthralled a packed arena in Chicago with a convention appearance that lent firepower to Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. She offered support and praise for Ms. Harris, but focused much of her nearly 20-minute speech squarely on Mr. Trump, mocking his past comments, his background and his behavior, while mostly avoiding naming him.

And for a speech delivered at a political convention, her remarks struck a remarkably personal tone as she spoke of the former president, who led a multiyear campaign to question the birthplace of her husband, former President Barack Obama.

“For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us,” she said, adding that “his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.”

She zeroed in on his debate-night complaint about immigrants taking “Black jobs” by pointing out that the presidency of the United States has been one and might soon be again. She said that Americans like Ms. Harris understood “that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward,” a reference to Mr. Trump’s business troubles. She noted that most Americans do not grow up with “the affirmative action of generational wealth.” (Mr. Trump was born into a wealthy family in Queens.)

“If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top,” she said. Line by line, she received thunderous applause.

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Tim Walz's son Gus has a learning disorder. Can his visibility help disabled Americans?

CHICAGO – When Jessica Anacker was in junior high, a teacher pulled her out of English class one day after she was bullied by a student because of her learning disability.

Instead of disciplining the tormenter, “she blamed me for being bullied,” Anacker said.

An angry Anacker fired back, telling the teacher, “It’s your job to take care of it.”

Now president of the Texas Democrats With Disabilities caucus and a delegate at this week’s Democratic National Convention , Anacker is thrilled that there could soon be someone to "take care of" such issues at the highest level of government.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz , Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris ' running mate, has spoken openly and lovingly about his 17-year-old son, Gus, who has ADHD , along with a nonverbal learning disorder and an anxiety disorder. Walz and his wife, Gwen, both former teachers, said recently in a statement to People magazine that they never considered Gus’ conditions an obstacle.

"Like so many American families, it took us time to figure out how to make sure we did everything we could to make sure Gus would be set up for success as he was growing up," the couple said.

"It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback − it’s his secret power," they said.

When Walz delivered his acceptance speech inside the packed United Center arena Wednesday night, Gus watched from the audience with his mother and sister, Hope, and sobbed.

"That's my dad!" he exclaimed.

From the stage, Walz honored his family. “Hope, Gus and Gwen – you are my entire world, and I love you,” he said.

Gus Walz sprung from his seat, moved by his father's words.

He pointed his index finger, saying "I love you, Dad."

Advocates for Americans with learning disabilities believe the Walz family's openness about their son and their willingness to speak publicly about the experience will raise much-needed visibility that could help others who are going through similar experiences.

“It’s a good thing when people in politics, who are running for office, are comfortable discussing disability issues and don’t view it as a topic that is taboo or something that we shouldn’t discuss,” said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Washington-based Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

When public figures are open about their experiences with disability or those of their family, that can lead more people to feel comfortable disclosing their own disabilities or talking about their family’s experiences, Gross said.

“That’s helpful,” she said, “because in order to talk about the needs of the disability community, we need to be comfortable discussing disability as a society, just like we talk about the needs of any marginalized population.”

'Now is the time': Democrats again dream of electing female president after Hillary Clinton's loss

In a sign of how important the Harris-Walz campaign views disability rights, Gwen Walz made a surprise appearance Tuesday at a meeting of disability advocates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She made no mention of her son during her brief remarks but said her husband believes strongly “that every student and every person deserves a chance to get ahead.”

Walz is not the first vice presidential nominee who has a child with a disability. Sarah Palin , the Republican nominee in 2008, has a son, Trig, who has Down syndrome. Trig was an infant when his mother was running for vice president. Palin cradled him in her arms on stage after delivering her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Amy Coney Barrett, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2020, also has a son with Down syndrome.

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'Fighting spirit': LGBTQ voters see hope in Harris campaign amid attacks from right

In their statement to People magazine, Tim and Gwen Walz said they noticed Gus’ special abilities at an early age.

"When our youngest Gus was growing up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates," they said. "Gus preferred video games and spending more time by himself."

When he was becoming a teenager, they learned that in addition to an anxiety disorder, he has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, a brain development condition that starts in childhood and is marked by trouble with maintaining attention, hyperactivity and impulse control difficulties.

ADHD in adults is relatively common and affects between 139 million and 360 million people worldwide, according to the Cleveland Clinic. With treatment, people usually have limited effects from it.

Can she keep this up? Kamala Harris energizes Democrats and shakes up presidential race

Anacker, the Texas delegate at the Democratic convention, said it’s important for people with ADHD and other learning disabilities to have people in positions of power advocate on their behalf.

Anacker is neurodivergent , a nonmedical term used to describe people whose brains develop or work differently from most people. She also has a speech impediment and dysgraphia, a neurological condition in which people have difficulty turning their thoughts into written language.

In high school, she remembers dissolving into tears because she couldn’t draw a picture of a frog during science class. As an adult, she has never been fully employed, she said, because employers have a difficult time making accommodations for her disability.

No matter who wins the election in November, advocates hope the needs of Americans with disabilities will become a priority for the next administration.

Gross’ group, for example, would like to see expanded home and community-based services through Medicaid, which she said is one of the most urgent issues facing Americans with autism. Many states have long waiting lists for such services, and people who provide those services are underpaid, which leads to huge staff turnover, Gross said.

In addition, advocates hope to see an expansion of employment services, a realignment of government research to focus more on quality-of-life issues, and a federal ban on use of seclusion or restraints in public schools except in cases when they are needed to prevent physical danger, like stopping someone from running into a busy street.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth , an Iraq War veteran who lost both of her legs and partial use of her right arm when her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a grenade, said Walz’s openness about his son will benefit all Americans with disabilities.

“For so long, disability was a hidden thing – you took care of your loved ones, but you didn’t talk about it publicly,” Duckworth, D-Ill., said after speaking to disability advocates at the Democratic convention. “Many disabled people stayed in the home, are not out in the workplace, and we really need to normalize those people with disabilities in a normal society so that you can get the job, you can show people you can do the job.”

Regardless of the election outcome in November, Walz is already spotlighting ADHD and other learning disabilities just by talking about his son during the campaign , advocates said.

“We love our Gus,” Tim and Gwen Walz said in their statement. “We are proud of the man he’s growing into, and we are so excited to have him with us on this journey."

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.

Look up a word, learn it forever.

Organ of speech.

Other forms: organs of speech

• noun any of the organs involved in speech production synonyms: speech organ , vocal organ see more see less types: show 6 types... hide 6 types... articulator a movable speech organ glottis the vocal apparatus of the larynx; the true vocal folds and the space between them where the voice tone is generated larynx , voice box a cartilaginous structure at the top of the trachea; contains elastic vocal cords that are the source of the vocal tone in speech jawbone , jowl , lower jaw , lower jawbone , mandible , mandibula , mandibular bone , submaxilla the jaw in vertebrates that is hinged to open the mouth clapper , glossa , lingua , tongue a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity lip either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking type of: organ a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function

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