Hääleava

Hääleava is a term used in Estonian linguistics to describe the natural opening or space between the vocal cords when producing sound. This space is crucial for the passage of air from the lungs, which then vibrates the vocal cords to create voice. The degree to which the hääleava is open or closed significantly influences the type of sound produced.

When the hääleava is completely closed or nearly closed, the vocal cords vibrate more intensely, resulting in voiced sounds such as vowels and voiced consonants like 'b', 'd', and 'g'. Conversely, if the hääleava is held open, allowing air to pass through without significant vocal cord vibration, voiceless sounds are produced. Examples of voiceless sounds include 'p', 't', 'k', and 's'.

The control over the hääleava is managed by complex muscular actions within the larynx. These muscles adjust the tension and position of the vocal folds, thereby regulating the size of the glottis, which is the actual opening between them. Variations in the hääleava are fundamental to the production of different phonemes in spoken language. For instance, the distinction between voiced and voiceless consonants in Estonian, as in many other languages, relies directly on the state of the hääleava. Understanding hääleava is therefore essential for the study of phonetics and phonology.