The vocal tract is reinterpreted in the context of the laryngeal articulator model, which integrates the functions of the laryngeal and oral components of the vocal tract. To account for the action of pharyngeal-resonator reduction, for constricted phonation types, and for the interaction of glottal pitch with the laryngeal constrictor mechanism, a three-dimensional model has been developed on the basis of auditory parameters and extrapolation from articulatory data sources. A critical aspect of the proposed model is the functioning of the aryepiglottic sphincter, formed by the aryepiglottic folds at the upper border of the larynx articulating towards the epiglottis. The novel feature of this model is the inclusion of a separate and ‘reversed’ action of the laryngeal component.
