Why does your voice change as you get older? - Shaylin A. Schundler

Prevodilac: Gordana Calić Lektor: Ivana Krivokuća

In the mid-16th century,

Sredinom 16. veka,

Italians were captivated by a type of male singer

Italijani su bili očarani tipom muškog pevača

whose incredible range contained notes

čiji je neverovatan opseg glasa obuhvatao zvukove

previously thought impossible for adult men.

za koje se ranije smatralo da su nemogući za odrasle muškarce.

However, this gift came at a high price.

Međutim, ovakav dar je išao uz visoku cenu.

To prevent their voices from breaking,

Da bi sprečili da im glasovi propadnu,

these singers had been castrated before puberty,

ovi pevači su bili kastrirani pre puberteta,

halting the hormonal processes that would deepen their voices.

čime su zaustavljeni hormonski procesi koji bi produbili njihove glasove.

Known as castrati, their light, angelic voices were renowned throughout Europe,

Poznati kao kastrati, njihovi lagani, anđeoski glasovi

bili su čuveni širom Evrope,

until the cruel procedure that created them was outlawed in the 1800s.

sve dok surova procedura koja ih je stvorila

nije postala zabranjena 1800-ih godina.

Though stunting vocal growth can produce an extraordinary musical range,

Mada odstupanja u vokalnom razvoju mogu da proizvedu izuzetan muzički opseg,

naturally developing voices are already capable of incredible variety.

glasovi sa prirodnim razvojem

su već sposobni za neverovatnu raznolikost.

And as we age, our bodies undergo two major changes which explore that range.

I kako starimo, naše telo prolazi kroz dve glavne promene

koje prate ovaj opseg.

So how exactly does our voice box work, and what causes these shifts in speech?

Pa, kako zapravo funkcioniše naš govorni aparat,

i šta uzrokuje ove promene u govoru?

The specific sound of a speaking voice is the result of many anatomical variables,

Specifični zvuk glasa je rezultat mnogih anatomskih varijabli,

but it’s mostly determined by the age and health of our vocal cords

ali je pretežno određen godinama i stanjem naših glasnica,

and the size of our larynxes.

kao i veličinom grkljana.

The larynx is a complex system of muscle and cartilage

Grkljan je kompleksan sistem mišića i hrskavica

that supports and moves the vocal cords,

koji podržavaju i pokreću glasnice,

or, as they’re more accurately known, the vocal folds.

ili, kako se tačnije zovu, vokalni nabori.

Strung between the thyroid and arytenoid cartilages,

Smeštena između tiroidne i aritenoidne hrskavice,

these two muscles form an elastic curtain that opens and shuts across the trachea,

ova dva mišića formiraju elastični zastor koji se otvara i zatvara preko traheje,

the tube that carries air through the throat.

cevi koja prenosi vazduh kroz grlo.

The folds are apart when we’re breathing,

Glasnice su razdvojene kada dišemo,

but when we speak, they slam shut.

ali kada govorimo, one se zatvaraju.

Our lungs push air against the closed folds,

Naša pluća guraju vazduh ka zatvorenim glasnicama,

blowing them open and vibrating the tissue to produce sound.

povlače ih i vibriraju tkivo kako bi proizvele zvuk.

Unlike the deliberate focus required for playing an external instrument,

Za razliku od namernog fokusa potrebnog za sviranje

nekog spoljašnjeg instrumenta,

we effortlessly change notes as we speak.

mi bez napora menjamo zvuke dok govorimo.

By pushing air faster or slower,

Otpuštajući vazduh brže ili sporije,

we change the frequency and amplitude of these vibrations,

menjamo frekvenciju i amplitudu ovih vibracija,

which respectively translate to the pitch and volume of our voices.

koje zatim određuju visinu i jačinu naših glasova.

Rapid and small vibrations create high-pitched, quiet tones,

Brze i male vibracije stvaraju visoke, tihe tonove,

while slow, large vibrations produce deep, bellowing rumbles.

dok spore, duge vibracije stvaraju duboke, prodorne zvuke.

Finally, by moving the laryngeal muscles between the cartilages,

Konačno, pomerajući mišiće grkljana između hrskavica,

we can stretch and contract those folds

možemo da razvučemo i skupimo glasnice

to intuitively play our internal instruments.

tako da intuitivno sviramo svoje unutrašnje instrumente.

This process is the same from your first words to your last,

Ovaj proces je isti od prve do poslednje reči,

but as you age, your larynx ages too.

ali kako starite, tako i grkljan stari.

During puberty, the first major shift starts,

Tokom puberteta počinje prva velika promena,

as your voice begins to deepen.

jer glas počinje da se produbljuje.

This happens when your larynx grows in size,

Ovo se dešava kada grkljan raste,

elongating the vocal folds and opening up more room for them to vibrate.

produžavajući glasnice i otvarajući više prostora za njihovu vibraciju.

These longer folds have slower, larger vibrations,

Ove duže glasnice imaju sporije, duže vibracije,

which result in a lower baseline pitch.

koje imaju za rezultat nižu osnovnu visinu glasa.

This growth is especially dramatic in many males,

Ovakav razvoj je posebno izražen kod mnogih muškaraca,

whose high testosterone levels lead first to voice cracks,

čiji visok nivo testosterona prvo vodi pucanju glasa

and then to deeper, more booming voices,

i onda dubljem, prodornijem glasu,

and laryngeal protrusions called Adam’s apples.

i laringealnoj izbočini zvanoj Adamova jabučica.

Another vocal development during puberty

Drugi vokalni razvoj tokom puberteta

occurs when the homogenous tissue covering the folds

se pojavljuje kada se homogeno tkivo koje prekriva glasnice

specializes into three distinct functional layers:

izdvoji u tri posebna funkcionalna sloja:

a central muscle,

centralni mišić,

a layer of stiff collagen wrapped in stretchy elastin fibers,

sloj krutog kolagena zavijeni u rastegljiva elastična vlakna,

and an outer layer of mucus membrane.

i spoljašnji sloj sluznice.

These layers add nuance and depth to the voice,

Ovi slojevi dodaju nijanse i dubinu glasu, dajući mu posebnu boju

giving it a distinct timbre that sets it apart from its pre-pubescent tones.

po kojoj se razlikuje od tona pre puberteta.

After puberty, most people’s voices remain more or less the same

Nakon puberteta, glas većine ljudi ostaje više ili manje isti

for about 50 years.

oko 50 godina.

But we all use our voices differently,

Ali mi svi koristimo svoj glas različito,

and eventually we experience the symptoms associated with aging larynxes,

i na kraju doživljavamo simptome povezane sa starenjem grkljana

known as presbyphonia.

poznate kao pre prezbifonija.

First, the collagen in our folds stiffens

Prvo, kolagen u naborima se stvrdne

and the surrounding elastin fibers atrophy and decay.

i okolna elastična vlakna atrofiraju i propadaju.

This decreased flexibility increases the pitch of older voices.

Ova smanjena fleksibilnost povećava visinu starijih glasova.

But for people who have experienced the hormonal effects of menopause,

Ali kod ljudi koji su doživeli hormonske uticaje menopauze,

the higher pitch is countered and outweighed by swollen vocal folds.

otečeni vokalni nabori deluju nasuprot višem tonu i vrše dominantan uticaj.

The folds' increased mass slows their vibrations, resulting in deeper voices.

Povećanje u masi nabora usporava njihove vibracije,

što dovodi do dubljih glasova.

All these symptoms are further complicated

Sve ove simptome dodatno komplikuje

by having fewer healthy laryngeal nerve endings,

manjak zdravih laringealnih nervnih završetaka,

which reduces precise muscle control and causes breathy or rough voices.

što smanjuje preciznu kontrolu mišića i uzrokuje zadihan ili grub glas.

Ultimately, these anatomical changes are just a few of the factors

Naposletku, ove anatomske promene su samo neki od faktora

that can affect your voice.

koji mogu da utiču na vaš glas.

Ali kada se održava u dobroj kondiciji,

But when kept in good condition,

your voice box is a finely tuned instrument,

vaš govorni aparat je fino podešeni instrument,

capable of operatic arias,

sposoban za operske arije,

moody monologues,

sumorne monologe

and stirring speeches.

i uzbudljive govore.