Editing Articulatory phonetics (section)

===Articulators===
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====Glottis====
The [[glottis]] is the opening between the vocal folds located in the [[larynx]]. Its position creates different vibration patterns to distinguish voiced and voiceless sounds.<ref name="Laver">"Laver, John ''Principles of Phonetics'', 1994, Cambridge University Press</ref> In addition, the [[pitch (music)|pitch]] of the vowel is changed by altering the frequency of vibration of the [[vocal folds]]. In some languages there are contrasts among vowels with different [[phonation]] types.<ref name = "SOWL">"Peter Ladefoged and Ian Maddieson ''The Sounds of the World's Languages'', 1996, Blackwell; {{ISBN|0-631-19815-6}}</ref>

====Pharynx====
The pharynx is the region of the vocal tract below the velum and above the larynx. Vowels may be made [[pharyngealization|pharyngealized]] (also ''epiglottalized'', ''sphincteric'' or ''strident'') by means of a [[Advanced and retracted tongue root|retraction of the tongue root]].<ref name="SOWL"/>{{RP|306-310}} Vowels may also be articulated with [[Advanced and retracted tongue root|advanced tongue root]].<ref name = "Laver"/>{{rp|298}} There is discussion of whether this vowel feature (ATR) is different from the Tense/Lax distinction in vowels.<ref name = "SOWL"/>{{rp|302–6}}

====Velum====
The velum—or soft palate—controls airflow through the nasal cavity. Nasals and nasalized sounds are produced by lowering the velum and allowing air to escape through the nose. Vowels are normally produced with the [[soft palate]] raised so that no air escapes through the nose. However, vowels may be [[Nasal vowel|nasalized]] as a result of lowering the soft palate. Many languages use nasalization contrastively.<ref name="SOWL"/>{{rp|298–300}}

====Tongue====
The tongue is a highly flexible organ that is capable of being moved in many different ways. For vowel articulation the principal variations are [[Vowel#Height|vowel height]] and the dimension of [[Vowel#Backness|backness]] and [[Front vowel|frontness]].<ref name = "SOWL"/> A less common variation in vowel quality can be produced by a change in the shape of the front of the tongue, resulting in a [[R-coloured vowel|rhotic]] or rhotacized vowel.<ref name = "SOWL"/>

====Lips====
The lips play a major role in vowel articulation. It is generally believed that two major variables are in effect: [[Roundedness|lip-rounding]] (or labialization) and [[Roundedness#types of rounding|lip protrusion]].