Labial-Lingual Double Articulations in Speakers With Cleft Palate

Abstract

Abstract Objective: Labial-lingual double articulations (LLDAs) are speech errors involving simultaneous valving at the lips and in the linguapalatal region. This study investigates the frequency of LLDAs occurring for /p/, /b/, and /m/ targets and describes the linguapalatal contact patterns involved in these abnormal articulations. Design: A retrospective study involving analysis of articulatory data from all speakers with cleft palate recorded at a research center over a 10-year period. Participants: Twenty-seven speakers aged 5 to 62 years (median 11 years) with compensatory speech errors associated with repaired cleft palate. Measures: The lingual component of LLDAs was identified using electropalatography (EPG). EPG data were recorded simultaneously with acoustic data. Fifteen bilabial targets (/p/, /b/, /m/) per participant were analyzed. LLDAs were identified in cases where complete linguapalatal constriction (as observed from EPG data) occurred throughout the closure phase of bilabial targets. Th...