Ventriloquy is the act of producing vocal sounds that appear to come from a source other than the speaker's mouth. This unique skill has been popularly demonstrated by performers in various forms of media and entertainment. Synonyms used to describe the art of ventriloquy include vocal mimicry, dummy mimicry, and puppetry. It involves the use of manipulation of the vocal cords to produce a variety of different voices, tones, and accents. Other terms for the practice of ventriloquy include voice throwing, ventriloquism, and vocal deception. These terms all describe the art of speaking without moving the lips, while still creating the impression that sound is coming from an external source.