Question

What is the larynx made of? in what way is the position of the human larynx unusual for a primate? what does this difference likely contribute to human speech?

Answer 1

The larynx is mostly made of cartilage, 3 paired (arytenoid, corniculate, cuneiform) and 3 unpaired (epiglottic, thyroid, and cricoid). The larynx is attached to the hyoid bone in humans and positioned lower in the throat. This decreases the nasality of the sound and increases the tonality as well as the resonance of the sound produced by the larynx which is required for effective communication.