AERODYNAMIC ASSESSMENT OF VELOPHARYNGEAL FUNCTION DURING NORMAL SPEECH CONTAINING DIFFERENT PLACES OF ARTICULATION

The aim of this study was to describe the aerodynamics related to velo pharyngeal function during speech in bilabial, dental, and velar artic ulatory positions in Swedish speakers. Repeated syllables including vo iceless stop consonants and sentences including combinations of voicel ess stops and nasal consonants were uttered by Il normal adults. Oroph aryngeal pressure was assessed with a miniature pressure transducer po sitioned transnasally, in combination with measurement of nasal pressu re and nasal airflow. The corresponding velopharyngeal opening area wa s estimated. The results suggest that the velopharyngeal function duri ng stop consonants is similar in different articulatory positions. Dif ferences in oropharyngeal pressure and nasal airflow between bilabial versus dental and velar positions were found, presumably due to differ ences in volume and compliance of the vocal tract.