In the mid-16th century, Italians were captivated by a type of male singer whose incredible range contained notes previously thought impossible for adult men. However, this gift came at a high price. To prevent their voices from breaking, these singers had been castrated before puberty, halting the hormonal processes that would deepen their voices. Known as castrati, their light, angelic voices were renowned throughout Europe, until the cruel procedure that created them was outlawed in the 1800s.
Sredinom 16. veka, Italijani su bili očarani tipom muškog pevača čiji je neverovatan opseg glasa obuhvatao zvukove za koje se ranije smatralo da su nemogući za odrasle muškarce. Međutim, ovakav dar je išao uz visoku cenu. Da bi sprečili da im glasovi propadnu, ovi pevači su bili kastrirani pre puberteta, čime su zaustavljeni hormonski procesi koji bi produbili njihove glasove. Poznati kao kastrati, njihovi lagani, anđeoski glasovi bili su čuveni širom Evrope, sve dok surova procedura koja ih je stvorila
Though stunting vocal growth can produce an extraordinary musical range, naturally developing voices are already capable of incredible variety. And as we age, our bodies undergo two major changes which explore that range. So how exactly does our voice box work, and what causes these shifts in speech?
nije postala zabranjena 1800-ih godina. Mada odstupanja u vokalnom razvoju mogu da proizvedu izuzetan muzički opseg, glasovi sa prirodnim razvojem su već sposobni za neverovatnu raznolikost. I kako starimo, naše telo prolazi kroz dve glavne promene koje prate ovaj opseg. Pa, kako zapravo funkcioniše naš govorni aparat,
The specific sound of a speaking voice is the result of many anatomical variables, but it’s mostly determined by the age and health of our vocal cords and the size of our larynxes. The larynx is a complex system of muscle and cartilage that supports and moves the vocal cords, or, as they’re more accurately known, the vocal folds. Strung between the thyroid and arytenoid cartilages, these two muscles form an elastic curtain that opens and shuts across the trachea, the tube that carries air through the throat. The folds are apart when we’re breathing, but when we speak, they slam shut. Our lungs push air against the closed folds, blowing them open and vibrating the tissue to produce sound. Unlike the deliberate focus required for playing an external instrument, we effortlessly change notes as we speak. By pushing air faster or slower, we change the frequency and amplitude of these vibrations, which respectively translate to the pitch and volume of our voices. Rapid and small vibrations create high-pitched, quiet tones, while slow, large vibrations produce deep, bellowing rumbles. Finally, by moving the laryngeal muscles between the cartilages, we can stretch and contract those folds to intuitively play our internal instruments.
i šta uzrokuje ove promene u govoru? Specifični zvuk glasa je rezultat mnogih anatomskih varijabli, ali je pretežno određen godinama i stanjem naših glasnica, kao i veličinom grkljana. Grkljan je kompleksan sistem mišića i hrskavica koji podržavaju i pokreću glasnice, ili, kako se tačnije zovu, vokalni nabori. Smeštena između tiroidne i aritenoidne hrskavice, ova dva mišića formiraju elastični zastor koji se otvara i zatvara preko traheje, cevi koja prenosi vazduh kroz grlo. Glasnice su razdvojene kada dišemo, ali kada govorimo, one se zatvaraju. Naša pluća guraju vazduh ka zatvorenim glasnicama, povlače ih i vibriraju tkivo kako bi proizvele zvuk. Za razliku od namernog fokusa potrebnog za sviranje nekog spoljašnjeg instrumenta, mi bez napora menjamo zvuke dok govorimo. Otpuštajući vazduh brže ili sporije, menjamo frekvenciju i amplitudu ovih vibracija, koje zatim određuju visinu i jačinu naših glasova. Brze i male vibracije stvaraju visoke, tihe tonove, dok spore, duge vibracije stvaraju duboke, prodorne zvuke. Konačno, pomerajući mišiće grkljana između hrskavica, možemo da razvučemo i skupimo glasnice tako da intuitivno sviramo svoje unutrašnje instrumente.
This process is the same from your first words to your last, but as you age, your larynx ages too. During puberty, the first major shift starts, as your voice begins to deepen. This happens when your larynx grows in size, elongating the vocal folds and opening up more room for them to vibrate. These longer folds have slower, larger vibrations, which result in a lower baseline pitch.
Ovaj proces je isti od prve do poslednje reči, ali kako starite, tako i grkljan stari. Tokom puberteta počinje prva velika promena, jer glas počinje da se produbljuje. Ovo se dešava kada grkljan raste, produžavajući glasnice i otvarajući više prostora za njihovu vibraciju. Ove duže glasnice imaju sporije, duže vibracije, koje imaju za rezultat nižu osnovnu visinu glasa.
This growth is especially dramatic in many males, whose high testosterone levels lead first to voice cracks, and then to deeper, more booming voices, and laryngeal protrusions called Adam’s apples.
Ovakav razvoj je posebno izražen kod mnogih muškaraca, čiji visok nivo testosterona prvo vodi pucanju glasa i onda dubljem, prodornijem glasu, i laringealnoj izbočini zvanoj Adamova jabučica.
Another vocal development during puberty occurs when the homogenous tissue covering the folds specializes into three distinct functional layers: a central muscle, a layer of stiff collagen wrapped in stretchy elastin fibers, and an outer layer of mucus membrane. These layers add nuance and depth to the voice, giving it a distinct timbre that sets it apart from its pre-pubescent tones.
Drugi vokalni razvoj tokom puberteta se pojavljuje kada se homogeno tkivo koje prekriva glasnice izdvoji u tri posebna funkcionalna sloja: centralni mišić, sloj krutog kolagena zavijeni u rastegljiva elastična vlakna, i spoljašnji sloj sluznice. Ovi slojevi dodaju nijanse i dubinu glasu, dajući mu posebnu boju po kojoj se razlikuje od tona pre puberteta.
After puberty, most people’s voices remain more or less the same for about 50 years. But we all use our voices differently, and eventually we experience the symptoms associated with aging larynxes, known as presbyphonia. First, the collagen in our folds stiffens and the surrounding elastin fibers atrophy and decay. This decreased flexibility increases the pitch of older voices. But for people who have experienced the hormonal effects of menopause, the higher pitch is countered and outweighed by swollen vocal folds. The folds' increased mass slows their vibrations, resulting in deeper voices. All these symptoms are further complicated by having fewer healthy laryngeal nerve endings, which reduces precise muscle control and causes breathy or rough voices.
Nakon puberteta, glas većine ljudi ostaje više ili manje isti oko 50 godina. Ali mi svi koristimo svoj glas različito, i na kraju doživljavamo simptome povezane sa starenjem grkljana poznate kao pre prezbifonija. Prvo, kolagen u naborima se stvrdne i okolna elastična vlakna atrofiraju i propadaju. Ova smanjena fleksibilnost povećava visinu starijih glasova. Ali kod ljudi koji su doživeli hormonske uticaje menopauze, otečeni vokalni nabori deluju nasuprot višem tonu i vrše dominantan uticaj. Povećanje u masi nabora usporava njihove vibracije, što dovodi do dubljih glasova. Sve ove simptome dodatno komplikuje manjak zdravih laringealnih nervnih završetaka, što smanjuje preciznu kontrolu mišića i uzrokuje zadihan ili grub glas.
Ultimately, these anatomical changes are just a few of the factors that can affect your voice. But when kept in good condition, your voice box is a finely tuned instrument, capable of operatic arias, moody monologues, and stirring speeches.
Naposletku, ove anatomske promene su samo neki od faktora koji mogu da utiču na vaš glas. Ali kada se održava u dobroj kondiciji, vaš govorni aparat je fino podešeni instrument, sposoban za operske arije, sumorne monologe i uzbudljive govore.