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In the mid-16th century, Italians were captivated by a type of male singer
十六世纪中期，当时的意大利人被一种男歌手所吸引着，
whose incredible range contained notes previously thought impossible for adult men.
他们难以置信的音域包括了之前成年男性以为不可能达到的音级。
However, this gift came at a high price.
可是，这份天赋是有着沉重的代价的。
To prevent their voices from breaking, these singers had been castrated before puberty,
为了避免嗓子倒仓，这些歌手在青春期之前就先自阉，
halting the hormonal processes that would deepen their voices.
以便阻止荷尔蒙促使声音变得更低沉。
Known as castrati, their light, angelic voices were renowned throughout Europe,
名为阉伶，他们轻盈而又天使般的声音享誉全欧洲，
until the cruel procedure that created them was outlawed in the 1800s.
直到制造他们那残忍的手术在十九世纪被制止。
Though stunting vocal growth can produce an extraordinary musical range, naturally developing voices are already capable of incredible variety.
迟缓声带发育确实可以导致非一般的音域，可是表自然形成的声音也同样可以。
And as we age, our bodies undergo two major changes which explore that range.
随着我们成长，我们的身体会经过两次影响音域的重大的改变。
So how exactly does our voice box work, and what causes these shifts in speech?
那我们的声门到底是怎么运作的，是什么导致发音的变化？
The specific sound of a speaking voice is the result of many anatomical variables,
我们说话是所发出的声音是许多不同生理因素所产生的结果，
but it's mostly determined by the age and health of our vocal cords and the size of our larynxes.
但是最大的影响来自声带的年龄和健康状况以及喉头的大小。
The larynx is a complex system of muscle and cartilage that supports and moves the vocal cords,
我们的喉头是由许多肌肉和软骨织所形成的复杂系统，它负责支撑和移动声线，
or, as they're more accurately known, the vocal folds.
或更正确的说，应该是声带。
Strung between the thyroid and arytenoid cartilages,
悬系在甲状腺与杓状软骨之间，
these two muscles form an elastic curtain that opens and shuts across the trachea, the tube that carries air through the throat.
这两块肌肉形成一片有弹性的帘子，横盖着经过喉咙输送空气的气管。
The folds are apart when we're breathing, but when we speak, they slam shut.
当我们呼吸的时候，声带是分开的，当我们说话的时候，它们会紧闭。
Our lungs push air against the closed folds, blowing them open and vibrating the tissue to produce sound.
我们的肺会把之前吸入的空气推向闭着的声带，把它们吹开并震动肌肉组织从而产生声音。
Unlike the deliberate focus required for playing an external instrument, we effortlessly change notes as we speak.
与专心致志地弹奏着乐器相反，我们在说话的时候会毫不费吹灰之力的转换音符。
By pushing air faster or slower, we change the frequency and amplitude of these vibrations,
以不同的速度将空气推出，我们可以改变震动的频率与幅度，
which respectively translate to the pitch and volume of our voices.
从而改变说话的声量与频率。
Rapid and small vibrations create high-pitched, quiet tones, while slow, large vibrations produce deep, bellowing rumbles.
快捷而细小的震动带来高频率而平静的声调，缓慢而巨大的震动则带来低沉的阵吼。
Finally, by moving the laryngeal muscles between the cartilages,
然后，通过把喉头肌肉移动到软骨之间，
we can stretch and contract those folds to intuitively play our internal instruments.
我们可以伸长或缩短声带来下意识地吹奏着体内的乐器。
This process is the same from your first words to your last, but as you age, your larynx ages too.
这道程序从我们会说第一个字到我们的最后一个字都一样，但随着你老去，你的喉头也会老化。
During puberty, the first major shift starts, as your voice begins to deepen.
青春期的时候，随着你的声音变得低沉，第一个重大的转移开始，
This happens when your larynx grows in size, elongating the vocal folds and opening up more room for them to vibrate.
当你的喉头成长而变大的时候，你的声带就会被拉长而开启更多的空间可以震动。
These longer folds have slower, larger vibrations, which result in a lower baseline pitch.
这些被拉长的声带有着比较慢长而巨大的震动，所以会有比较低的音调。
This growth is especially dramatic in many males, whose high testosterone levels lead first to voice cracks,
喉头的成长在许多男性中特别的明显，他们的高量男性荷尔蒙首先导致破音，
and then to deeper, more booming voices, and laryngeal protrusions called Adam's apples.
然后是更低、更宏亮的声音，再者是喉头突出，形成喉结。
Another vocal development during puberty occurs when the homogenous tissue covering the folds specializes into three distinct functional layers:
发育期的另外一个声带发展，是当掩盖着声带单一性组织专门化地形成三层功能不同的组织：
a central muscle, a layer of stiff collagen wrapped in stretchy elastin fibers, and an outer layer of mucus membrane.
一个中枢肌肉，一层被弹性纤维包裹的软骨组织，以及外层的粘膜。
These layers add nuance and depth to the voice, giving it a distinct timbre that sets it apart from its pre-pubescent tones.
这些不同层次的细胞使得声音具有深度和细微差别，而赋予它与发育前不同的独特音色。
After puberty, most people's voices remain more or less the same for about 50 years.
发育期后，大多数人在接下来的50年，会有着几乎不变的嗓音。
But we all use our voices differently, and eventually we experience the symptoms associated with aging larynxes, known as presbyphonia.
但我们每个人用嗓子的方法各不同，而结果是我们会体验俗称老年语音的喉咙老化所带来的各种症状。
First, the collagen in our folds stiffens and the surrounding elastin fibers atrophy and decay.
首先，喉咙内的软组织将硬化而周围的弹性纤维也将萎缩而衰化。
This decreased flexibility increases the pitch of older voices.
所失去的灵活性将提高声音的频率。
But for people who have experienced the hormonal effects of menopause, the higher pitch is countered and outweighed by swollen vocal folds.
但是若同时经历更年期，荷尔蒙的变化将会导致声带肿胀而相抵过之前的变化。
The folds' increased mass slows their vibrations, resulting in deeper voices.
肿胀所产生的多余的组织则会减缓震动而使到声音变得低沉。
All these symptoms are further complicated by having fewer healthy laryngeal nerve endings,
种种的症状又会因为喉部神经细胞减少而复杂化，
which reduces precise muscle control and causes breathy or rough voices.
使得肌肉控制失去准确性而发出比较粗，或类似喘息的声音。
Ultimately, these anatomical changes are just a few of the factors that can affect your voice.
到最后，这些生理上的变化只是影响声音的部分因素罢了。
But when kept in good condition, your voice box is a finely tuned instrument,
你的声门在细心保存的情况下是个精细的工具，
capable of operatic arias, moody monologues, and stirring speeches.
能够唱出歌剧中的情感，念出悲伤的独白，发表感人的演说。
