Articulatory Patterns Research Articles

Speech task affects quality of articulation in Parkinsonian dysarthria

To examine the effect of speech task on articulation, this study assessed speech in a dysarthric patient across four production tasks: spontaneous speech, repetition, reading, and repeated singing, using the same phrases for all tasks. The study design ensured that all phrases were heard in all production tasks, but no listener heard any phrase twice. Data were obtained from listeners’ identification and difficulty rating scores, perceptual judgments, and acoustic analyses. Items produced spontaneously were significantly less intelligible than the same phrases produced in the other three tasks (29% vs 79% correct identification). Spontaneous speech was also rated as more difficult to understand than other speech tasks. While relative intensity and word duration were not linked to intelligibility, dysfluencies and distorted articulatory/resonance patterns were found significantly more often in spontaneous than in the other tasks. These indications of variable speech production efficiency were found in a patient with Parkinson’s disease, which is associated with basal ganglia impairment. These results can be related to recent models of normal basal ganglia function, which emphasize motor planning and monitoring. One explanation for the different articulation patterns reported here may be the availability of an external ‘‘model’’ which aids planning in the reading and repetition tasks.

Linguistic skills at 6 1/2 years of age in children who required neonatal intensive care in 1986-1989.

Linguistic skills at 6 1/2 y of age, corrected for gestational age at birth, were examined in a cohort of 230 children who had required neonatal intensive care (NIC) in 1986-89, and in 71 fullterm neonatally healthy control children (C) matched to the NIC children born at < 32 gestational weeks. Ten linguistic areas were assessed. The 10th percentile score of the controls was identified in each linguistic area and used for comparisons. In 77.5% of the controls and 63.5% of the NIC children, no score was lower than the 10th percentile score of the controls. Scores lower than the 10th percentile score were more common in NIC children born at term or at 23-31 wk, and within this group of children those born at 23-27 wk, than in controls. In preterm children of < 32 wk the results in the linguistic areas of imitation of articulatory positions, comprehension of logical grammatical constructions, phonemes and word fluency differed from those of the matched controls, and in NIC children born at > or = 32 weeks the results for imitation of articulatory positions, articulatory patterns and sentences, auditory discrimination and word fluency were poorer than those of the controls.

Linguistic skills at 6½ years of age in children who required neonatal intensive care in 1986–1989

Linguistic skills at 6½y of age, corrected for gestational age at birth, were examined in a cohort of 230 children who had required neonatal intensive care (NIC) in 1986–89, and in 71 fullterm neonatally healthy control children (C) matched to the NIC children born at &lt;32 gestational weeks. Ten linguistic areas were assessed. The 10th percentile score of the controls was identified in each linguistic area and used for comparisons. In 77.5% of the controls and 63.5% of the NIC children, no score was lower than the 10th percentile score of the controls. Scores lower than the 10th percentile score were more common in NIC children born at term or at 23–31 wk, and within this group of children those born at 23–27 wk, than in controls. Conclusion: In preterm children of &lt;32 wk the results in the linguistic areas of imitation of articulatory positions, comprehension of logical grammatical constructions, phonemes and word fluency differed from those of the matched controls, and in NIC children born at 32 weeks the results for imitation of articulatory positions, articulatory patterns and sentences, auditory discrimination and word fluency were poorer than those of the controls.

Visual feedback therapy using electropalatography (EPG) for articulation disorders associated with cleft palate

This study investigates the effects of visual feedback therapy using electropalatography (EPG) on abnormal /t/ and /s/ tongue–palate contact patterns in children and young adults with articulation disorders associated with repaired cleft palate. Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatment regimes. Subjects in regime 1 received four sessions of individual therapy using EPG for visual feedback (‘EPG therapy’) followed by four sessions of therapy without EPG (‘non-EPG therapy’). Subjects in regime 2 had four sessions of non-EPG therapy followed by four sessions of EPG therapy. Analysis of tongue contact patterns showed that the majority (75%) of subjects had more normal articulatory patterns for /t/ and /or /s/ targets after EPG therapy. Non-EPG therapy had no apparent effect on articulatory patterns for most (92%) subjects. Three subjects (25%) failed to respond to either EPG or non-EPG therapy. The results indicate that EPG therapy has a positive effect on abnormal articulatory patterns in many, but not all, cleft palate speakers with articulation errors. The results also suggest that EPG therapy is more efficient than non- EPG therapy in changing articulatory patterns in subjects with cleft palate.

Evaluating State-Level Articulation Agreements According to Good Practice

As we move into twenty-first century, transfer between two- and four-year colleges has become increasingly important. Many states are promoting transfer between two- and four-year sectors to increase systemic efficiency and effectiveness in educating their citizens. Thus, a state's master plan for public higher education typically supports twoyear colleges as initial step in may students' pathways to baccalaureate. To ensure ease of transfer, defined by Kintzer and Wattenbarger (1985) as the mechanics of credit, course, and curriculum exchange (p. iii), most states have emphasized documents (Bers, 1994, p. 249). This approach emphasizes development and ongoing maintenance of or official agreements related to course equivalencies, articulated 2 + 2 programs, legislative or agency related to transfer, and perhaps statistical reports about student transfer, persistence, and academic performance (Bers, p. 249). In a deregulated system, individual institutions may have responsibility for establishing articulation agreements about which courses, programs, and degrees will transfer from one institution to a receiving institution. In a more regulated system, may provide some general guidelines and incentives for institutions to develop these agreements; and in a highly regulated system, may mandate that associate of arts degree be accepted at all institutions, as in Florida, for example. The extent to which states have promoted transfer by developing articulation agreements was well studied in 1980s and early 1990s. For example, Kintzer and Wattenbarger (1985) documented four basic patterns of articulation found during 1980s. They found that eight states had formal and legally based guidelines and policies and 25 states had state system policies (Kintzer, 1996, p. 8). Also, Knoell (1990) compared articulation activities in early 1960s to those of mid1980s, and Bender (1990) looked at state-level policies, largely through studies of four states. This research was designed to update these works by documenting extent of articulation agreements at close of twentieth century and by evaluating these agreements according to four-key measures: * Transfer Directions-the kinds of transfer among colleges and universities covered in agreement; * Sectors-the types of institutions included; Transfer Components-degree-related aspects affecting ease of transfer; and Faculty Involvement-the extent to which faculty at community colleges and four-year institutions are actually responsible for crafting and maintaining statewide articulation agreements. These measures were drawn from literature on articulation and from statewide already operating in several states and identified during pilot phase of this study to form a basis for what constitutes good articulation. Seven guiding principles for establishing strong statewide articulation agreements were identified from literature and from state-level during pilot phase of this research (Ignash & Townsend, 2001). A brief summary of them is provided here as a context for this assessment of statewide articulation agreements. The first principle, that of parity among institutions, affirms that community colleges and four-year institutions are equal partners in providing freshmen and sophomore level undergraduate coursework. Stated differently, relationship between two- and four-year colleges and universities should not be one in which community colleges are subordinate. Knoell (1990) believed that parity among institutions should be a guiding principle in developing articulation agreements. The second principle involves parity of students and stipulates that native and transfer students should be treated equally by receiving institutions. The third principle asserts that faculty, as content area experts, should have primary responsibility for crafting actual statewide articulation agreements. …

Widening Access to Electropalatography for Children With Persistent Sound System Disorders

Previous studies have demonstrated the value of using electropalatography (EPG) to assess, diagnose, and treat persistent sound system disorders in children. However, the application of EPG research has been limited in clinical contexts because most speech-language pathologists do not have access to the technique. This article provides an overview of recent EPG research on persistent sound system disorders and describes a network that has been established to widen access to EPG. The use of EPG via the network is illustrated in the case description of an 8-year-old boy, Robbie, who presented with a persisting speech disorder. The network was used because the clinician treating Robbie did not have an EPG. The main perceptual feature of Robbie’s speech before EPG treatment was the deviant phonological process of backing /t/ and /d/ targets to velar place of articulation. EPG was used to assess articulatory patterns before treatment, to provide visual feedback as part of a treatment program, and to record changes in tongue-palate contact patterns as treatment progressed. Robbie achieved normal /t/ and /d/ articulatory patterns after treatment and was subsequently discharged. Factors that could have contributed to the successful outcome in this case are discussed, and areas requiring further research are identified.

Phonemic Vowel Length Contrasts in Cerebellar Disorders

Apraxia of speech and Broca's aphasia both affect voice onset time (VOT) whereas phonemic vowel length distinctions seem to be preserved. Assuming a close cooperation of anterior perisylvian language zones and the cerebellum with respect to speech timing, a similar profile of segment durations must be expected in ataxic dysarthria. In order to test this hypothesis, patients with cerebellar atrophy or cerebellar ischemia were asked to produce sentence utterances including either one of the German lexial items “Rate” (/ra:the/, ‘installment’), “Ratte” (/rathe/, ‘rat’), “Gram” (/gra:m/, ‘grief’), “Gramm” (/gram/, ‘gramm’), “Taten” (/thatn/, ‘actions’), or “Daten” (/datn/, ‘data’). At the acoustic signal, the duration of the target vowels /a/ and /a:/ as well as the VOT of the word-initial alveolar stops /d/ and /t/ were determined. In addition, a master tape comprising the target words from patients and controls in randomized order was played to three listeners for perceptual evaluation. In accordance with a previous study, first, the cerebellar subjects presented with a reduced categorical separation of the VOT of voiced and unvoiced stop consonants. Second, vowel length distinctions were only compromised in case of the minimal pair “Gram”/“Gramm.” In contrast to “Rate”/“Ratte”, production of the former lexical items requires coordination of several orofacial structures. Disruption of vowel length contrasts would, thus, depend upon the complexity of the underlying articulatory pattern.

Active versus passive cleft-type speech characteristics.

Cleft palate speech is generally described in terms of nasal resonance, nasal emission and compensatory articulations. A longitudinal study of children at different stages of surgical treatment revealed a distinction between passive and active cleft-type speech characteristics whereby passive characteristics were thought to be the product of structural abnormality or dysfunction and active characteristics were specific articulatory gestures replacing intended consonants. Passive and active patterns of articulation are described and defined in the context of three longitudinal studies of subjects who were at various stages of two different surgical regimes: five bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) subjects aged 1;6-4;6, 12 mixed unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and BCLP subjects aged 4;6-7;6 and nine mixed UCLP and BCLP subjects aged 9;0-11;0. Reference is also made to data from 12 mixed cleft-type subjects aged 13;0 who had been treated with different surgical timing regimes. Comparison is made between the incidence of active versus passive processes in relation to oral structure. At age 4;6 speech samples taken from BCLP subjects who had been treated with 1-stage versus 2-stage palate repair all evidenced both active and passive processes. The lack of differentiation in speech results irrespective of their current surgical status, i.e. completely repaired palates versus residual cleft of the hard palate, was unexpected. Cleft-type processes in completely repaired subjects might be accounted for by the inevitable anterior defect following repair of a bilateral cleft. Older subjects with structural defects also evidenced more cleft-type processes. The relevance of distinguishing between active and passive processes is underlined by consideration of the effects of structural changes following surgery. The effect of surgery on seven subjects' speech is discussed using the active/passive distinction. Active cleft-type characteristics did not change as a direct result of surgery, whereas passive characteristics were largely eliminated following surgery. A specific distinction is made between active and passive nasal fricatives, with the implication that active nasal fricatives may not be affected by surgical intervention, whereas passive nasal fricatives may be eliminated by surgery. Accurate distinction between active and passive patterns of articulation may serve to identify those cleft-type speech error patterns most likely to respond to surgical intervention. Indications from this study are that active cleft-type characteristics require destabilization in a course of speech and language therapy before the potential benefits of surgery can be properly assessed. An analytical protocol for the interpretation of speech samples is presented and some therapy strategies are proposed for active and passive processes.

Nasal Coarticulation in Normal Speakers

The purpose of this study was to re-examine the influence of gender on nasal coarticulation in normal speakers. Twenty adult speakers (10 men, 10 women) produced the vowel-nasal-vowel (VNV) sequence /ini/ within a carrier phrase using two stress patterns: (1) with equal stress placed on both syllables, and (2) with contrastive stress placed on the second syllable. A partitioned, circumferentially vented pneumotachograph mask and microphone were used to determine nasal airflow, ratios of nasal to oral-plus-nasal airflow, and sound pressure levels (SPLs) at the midpoints of the first and second vowels of the syllables. Volume ratios of nasal to oral-plus-nasal airflow that reflected the entire duration of the vowels were also obtained. Results indicated that all speakers except 1 woman exhibited nasal airflow at the midpoint of the first vowel when /ini/ was produced with equal stress; all speakers exhibited carryover nasal airflow during the second vowel. During contrastive stress, all speakers except 1 woman and 1 additional man exhibited anticipatory nasal airflow; all speakers exhibited carryover nasal airflow. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures with repeated measures indicated significant main effects of syllable stress ( p &lt; 0.001) relative to nasal airflow and ratios of nasal to oral-plus-nasal airflow. Regardless of the gender of the speakers, syllable stress resulted in reduced anticipatory and carryover nasal airflow during the first and second vowels of /ini/, respectively. The results suggest that (a) both men and women adhere to similar patterns of velar articulation, and (b) velopharyngeal closure during the vowel /i/ may be enhanced during stressed syllables. Implications relative to aspects of speech production and clinical practice are discussed.

Modeling of articulatory dynamics using cascaded first-order systems

This paper proposes modeling of articulatory dynamics using cascaded first-order systems. The model, which consists of simple first-order components, can be a good approximation for the behavior of a complex system. In the paper, the approach to modeling the articulator movements was performed on several articulatory organs: tongue, jaw, etc. Parameters describing the model were obtained from observed articulatory data in such a way that time patterns of impulse response of the model were approximated to velocity ones of movements. Good approximations were obtained on time patterns of articulation for vowels and consonants. Therefore, successive movement patterns for continuous speech including consonants were approximated by combining several models with high accuracy. By modeling articulatory dynamics for vowels and consonants based on articulatory measured data, complex articulatory patterns in a form of [-V C V-] were synthesized and the time instant of input commands for articulation of vowels and consonants were estimated in a connected speech sound including consonants. [Work supported by SCAT.]

Models of the emergence of language.

Recent work in language acquisition has shown how linguistic form emerges from the operation of self-organizing systems. The emergentist framework emphasizes ways in which the formal structures of language emerge from the interaction of social patterns, patterns implicit in the input, and pressures arising from general aspects of the cognitive system. Emergentist models have been developed to study the acquisition of auditory and articulatory patterns during infancy and the ways in which the learning of the first words emerges from the linkage of auditory, articulatory, and conceptual systems. Neural network models have also been used to study the learning of inflectional markings and basic syntactic patterns. Using both neural network modeling and concepts from the study of dynamic systems, it is possible to analyze language learning as the integration of emergent dynamic systems.

Constraints on syllable structure in speech

This paper presents kinematic data and a statistical analysis of the MRC Psycholinguistic Database in a study of patterns of syllable coda structure in English bisyllables. X-ray microbeam and OPTOTRAK data were used to study spontaneous errors in rapid speech. Subjects repeated real-word and nonsense bisyllables at increasing speaking rates. All subjects made errors that harmonized the place of articulation of the codas at faster speaking rates. Errors were determined by kinematic changes in the tongue and lip gestures. Analysis of the MRC Psycholinguistic Database revealed that coda harmonies occur statistically more frequently than chance in English even when the statistical incidence of segments are taken into account. The experimental evidence is discussed in terms of production constraints on syllable production. The influence of stress pattern, manner, and place of articulation are explored. [Work supported by NIH-NIDCD Grant No. DC-00594 and NSERC.]

The development of speech adaptation to an artificial palate.

An investigation of adaptation to palatal modification in [s] production was conducted using acoustic and perceptual analyses. The experiment assessed whether adaptation would occur subsequent to a brief period of intensive, target-specific practice. Productions of [sa] were elicited at five time intervals, 15 min apart, with an artificial palate in place. Between measurement intervals, subjects read [s]-laden passages to promote adaptation. Results revealed improvement in both acoustic and perceptual measures at the final time interval relative to the initial measurement period. Interestingly, the data also suggested changes to normal (unperturbed) articulation patterns during the same interval. Results are discussed in relation to the development of speech adaptation to a structural modification of the oral cavity.

Phonological organization in early speech production: Evidence for the importance of articulatory patterns

The present study investigates on the basis of which units and strategies children initially organize their speech. Transcribed longitudinal data from children acquiring German as their L1 are presented. The data were obtained in weekly recording sessions, which began when the subjects were between seven and thirteen months old. All the material was collected within the framework of the Kiel Project on Early Phonological Development. The evidence presented in this paper suggests that a limited inventory of articulatory patterns functioning as underlying organizational units may determine the phonetic structure of the large majority of a child's first words. The patterns are most probably constructed on the basis of a child's preferred articulations as well as on the basis of the acoustically and auditorily most salient features of adult model words. The articulatory patterns a child relies on may involve different types of syllable structure and they usually allow for a certain amount of phonetic variation in the child's forms for a specific word. There are basically five ways in which the early or original patterns change over time.

An electropalatographic description of Cantonese speech

Abstract Six normal adult speakers of Cantonese provided electropalatographic recordings of 13 Cantonese lingual phonemes in /aCa/ context. Although the EPG patterns reflected the expected articulatory placement of alveolar, palatal and velar palate zones for the targets, there was inter-subject variation that suggests caution in setting expectations for performance in EPG therapy. The findings have implications for speech therapy and cross-language studies of articulatory patterns.

Pork Barrel Politics, Networks, and Local Economic Development in Contemporary Japan

Research Article| March 01 1996 Pork Barrel Politics, Networks, and Local Economic Development in Contemporary Japan Haruhiro Fukui, Haruhiro Fukui Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Shigeko N. Fukai Shigeko N. Fukai Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Asian Survey (1996) 36 (3): 268–286. https://doi.org/10.2307/2645692 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Haruhiro Fukui, Shigeko N. Fukai; Pork Barrel Politics, Networks, and Local Economic Development in Contemporary Japan. Asian Survey 1 March 1996; 36 (3): 268–286. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/2645692 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAsian Survey Search This content is only available via PDF. Copyright 1996 The Regents of the University of California Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

Variability in tongue kinematics in stop production

The focus of this study is individual differences in tongue kinematics in the production of sequences of vowel–stop consonant–vowel. Four subjects produced VCV sequences with all possible combinations of the vowels /i, a, u/, and the stop consonants /p, t, k, b, d, g/. A magnetometer system was used to track vertical and horizontal movements of receivers placed on four points on the tongue. Individual variations were found for the influences of stop consonant voicing and vowel quality on tongue kinematics. In addition, in sequences with an alveolar consonant /t, d/ occurring between two high vowels /i, u/, some speakers lowered the rear portions of the tongue for the consonant closure, while other subjects maintained a tongue configuration that closely resembled that for the high flanking vowels. Possible accounts for these differences, such as oral anatomy, speaking rate, and speaking style will be discussed, as well as the acoustical consequences of the different articulatory patterns. [Work supported by NIH.]

Active versus passive cleft‐type speech characteristics: implications for surgery and therapy

ABSTRACT Cleft palate speech is generally characterised by hypernasality and compensatory articulations. A longitudinal study of children at different stages of surgical treatment revealed a distinction between passive and active cleft‐type speech characteristics as described by Hutters and Brondsted (1987). Passive characteristics are the product, not of disordered articulatory patterns, but of structural abnormality or dysfunction. Active characteristics are alternative articulatory gestures which function in place of intended consonants. Passive and active patterns of articulation will be described and defined in the context of three longitudinal studies: five bilateral left lip and palate (BCLP) subjects aged, 1;6‐4;6; 12 mixed unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and BCLP subjects aged 4;6–7;6 and nine mixed UCLP and BCLP subjects aged 9;0–11;0. The effects of surgery on the speech of seven subjects will be discussed using the active/passive distinction. Active cleft‐type characteristics did not change as a direct result of surgery, whereas passive characteristics were largely eliminated following surgery. This distinction between active and passive patterns of articulation can serve to identify those cleft‐type speech error patterns most likely to respond to surgical intervention. Indications from this study are that active cleft‐type characteristics require destabilisation in a course of speech and language therapy before the potential benefits of surgery can be properly assessed.

Assessment and therapy of clients with a history of VPI using electropalatography

ABSTRACT It is of both theoretical and practical importance to study the dynamics of ***articulatory movements which occur in individuals with speech disorders associated with a history of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Theoretically it is of interest to understand how children develop speech in exceptional circumstances, i.e. with an abnormal vocal tract. In practice it is important to investigate the nature of abnormal speech behaviour, in order to diagnose accurately and subsequently treat any articulation disorders which may be present. One safe and convenient method for this purpose is the technique of electropalatography (EPG). EPG provides direct information relating to one important aspect of speech production, namely spatio‐temporal details of the tongue's contact with the hard palate during connected speech. EPG has a further advantage in that it can provide clients with real‐time visual feedback of tongue movement, and this can be utilised in articulation therapy.A recent project, funded by the British Medical Research Council, investigated the value of EPG as a diagnostic and therapy procedure in a group of 20 school age children with persisting speech difficulties. This paper reports the results from six children, all of whom had a history of VPI. In terms of diagnosis, a number of distinct EPG error patterns emerged which could be considered to be unique to this group. Some of the EPG patterns could be anticipated on the basis of auditory perceptual judgements. For example, there was minimal tongue‐palate contact for sounds which were heard as pharyngeal. Further, sounds which were heard by listeners as having a retracted place of articulation had EPG patterns which were located at an abnormally posterior region of the palate. However, some of the EPG patterns were not predicted on the basis of auditory judgements. For example, EPG revealed the presence of double articulations involving simultaneous velar contact for labial and alveolar targets. Such patterns were considered to be of clinical significance since their presence provided a possible explanation for previous lack of progress in therapy.The children were given a course of therapy using EPG for visual feedback of the tongue contact pattern. Post‐therapy EPG recordings showed evidence that the children were able to use the visual information which EPG provided to change their articulation patterns so that they more closely resembled those of a normal speaker. The children varied in the extent to which they were able to transfer skills acquired with visual feedback into automatic speech.The results from these children provide evidence that EPG can be considered to be a useful additional procedure for use with individuals with intractable speech disorders associated with a history of VPI. It is viewed as a means of providing the therapist with important diagnostic information undetected from an auditory‐based evaluation and also giving clients access to visual information about articulation which they cannot obtain through other forms of therapy.

Cervicofacial Lymphatic Malformation

This is a retrospective review of the clinical course and long-term soft-tissue/skeletal problems in 17 patients with large cervicofacial lymphatic malformations. Morbidity included infection (71 percent), airway compromise requiring tracheostomy (65 percent), poor dental health with aggressive caries (53 percent), abnormal articulatory patterns (47 percent), and episodic bleeding (35 percent). All patients underwent soft-tissue excision (mean four procedures per patient). Damage to facial nerve (76 percent) and hypoglossal nerve (24 percent) were common postoperative sequelae. Contour resection did not alter the progression of skeletal hypertrophy. Overgrowth most commonly occurred in the mandibular body, manifesting as anterior open bite deformity and class III occlusion (65 percent). Early mandibular body ostectomy was done in four children with grotesque hypertrophy. Jaw osteotomy was required in 71 percent of the patients to improve the maxillary/mandibular relationship. Histologic examination revealed intraosseous lymphatic malformation in areas of skeletal overgrowth in two-thirds of surgical specimens. The complexity of managing cervicofacial lymphatic malformation underscores the need for an interdisciplinary program in every major referral center.