Even when we aren't producing full sentences, humans make sounds all the time. Of course, sound production is absolutely vital for our use of language. The physical process behind sound production, called phonation, works the same way regardless of how much sound is being produced, or the reason for the sound.

Why is phonation important for speech?

The sounds of speech are produced by the exhaled air from the lungs associated with changes of the true vocal cords to produce phonation. ... It is important in the voiceless aspects of speech in a passive sense to ensure that the vocal cords are wide open at the glottis, so that air can easily pass out.

How do you explain phonation?

Among some phoneticians, phonation is the process by which the vocal folds produce certain sounds through quasi-periodic vibration. This is the definition used among those who study laryngeal anatomy and physiology and speech production in general.