Articulatory Patterns Research Articles

Cues for Screening Language Disorders in Preschool Children

This article has described procedures and criteria a pediatrician may employ during office evaluation to identify children suspected of having a developmental language disability. Disruptions in vocabulary comprehension, vocabulary production, sentence organization, use of word forms, and articulation patterns are important cues signaling the need for referral for a speech and language evaluation. The 1970 NINDS estimate that no less than one out of every 170 children has a developmental disability affecting the development of language suggests that one or more such children with such a disability enter the pediatrician's office each week. Many of the negative consequences of this problem may be prevented or greatly reduced by early detection and appropriate referral based upon the informaion described in this article.

An instrumental study of consonant gemination

An experiment is described aimed at investigating differences between single and geminate consonants in word-interior intervocalic position and at word boundaries. In addition the difference between short and long geminates, differences between the manifestations of geminates at word boundary in two languages and differences in production of geminates by native and non-native speakers of the two languages were examined. The two languages chosen were Estonian and American English, the consonants were bilabial plosives, and the principal technique employed was electromyography. Evidence was found of rearticulation in the production of Estonian intervocalic long and overlong consonants as well as junctural C + C sequences. There was no evidence for rearticulation in English junctural C + C sequences. Both speakers carried their articulation patterns over from the native to the non-native language.

Tongue and Lip Activity During Australian Aboriginal (Walbiri) Articulation

Recording equipment was transported to Yuendumu, N. T., Australia, to obtain data on tongue and lip activity of aboriginals during speech and swallowing. Strain gauge pressure transducers were fitted into custom constructed plates to be placed in the speaker's mouth to record tongue and lip contact at several locations. Eighteen speakers whose native language is Walbiri acted as subjects. Eight prerecorded Walbiri words and four nonsense words, five repetitions each, were presented to the subjects. These tokens contained three of the Walbiri modifications of the phoneme /t/ situated intervocalically in each word. Distinct articulation patterns of both tongue and lips were found for the three phonemes regardless of whether they were located in meaningful or nonsense words. Furthermore, pressure patterns for the phoneme most like the American language /t/ were very similar to patterns for American speakers. This was true even though tongue and lip movements during swallowing were quite different from Americans. [Kenneth Hale assisted in preparing the speech stimulus. Support from the Fulbright program, NIDR, and Southern Society of Orthodontists is gratefully acknowledged.]

Cinefluorographic analyses of selected lingual consonants.

Flesh points on the tongue body of two normal speakers were simulated by attaching small radiopaque markers to the lingual surface. Lateral-view cinefluorography was used to record the displacement patterns of the markers during the production of symmetric VCV utterances, where V is one of the vowels /i,u,a/ and C is one of the consonants /g,j,d,z/. The utterances were produced at two speaking rates, “moderate” and “rapid.” In addition to the analyses based on the movements of the radiopaque markers, measurements descriptive of the articulations of the Ungual apex and mandible were derived from cineradiography tracings. The variation in speaking rate only slightly affected articulatory velocities but did influence the articulatory patterns in some respects. Peculiarities of the tongue-point displacement patterns are discussed and an attempt is made to describe the articulatory targets of the tongue and jaw for the lingual consonants studied.

The skull and skeleton ofEogyrinus attheyiWatson (Amphibia: Labyrinthodontia)

As a preliminary to the redescription of the anatomy ofEogyrinus attheyiWatson, an account is given of the problems of nomenclature of British members of the anthracosaur family Eogyrinidae to which it belongs. There is no evidence to show that the four named genera of British eogyrinids differ from one another in any significant feature not explicable by allometric growth. Reconstruction of a series of allometric curves based on known skull specimens allows estimation of the dimensions of incomplete specimens. The skulls then fall into four size groups which correspond, with some stratigraphical backing, to the four named genera. The lectotype skull ofEogyrinus, from the Low Main Seam, Newsham, Northumberland, has been cleaned using an ‘ Airbrasive’ unit and is used as the basis of a new description of the skull. Additional information is provided by other Newsham specimens and two skulls from the Middle Coal Measures of Lanarkshire. The skull is completely known and is typical of anthracosaurs. The skull roof is closely similar to that of the eogyrinidPalaeoherpeton('Palaeogyrinus’)but no anterior tectal bone is present above the naris inEogyrinus. The nature of the dermal ornament is fully described. The palate is typically anthracosaur, with toothless vomers, a ‘ tusk-pair ’ on each palatine and ectopterygoid, and additional small ectopterygoid teeth. The pterygoids descend below the level of the jaw line posteriorly as inPalaeoherpeton. The braincase is reconstructed from an isolated Newsham specimen, originally attributed by Watson, from the lectotype and from one of the Scottish skulls. The isolated specimen shows the course of the semicircular canals as well as the fenestra ovalis. Most of the cranial nerve foramina are present. A complete reconstruction of the lower jaws is possible both as single rami and in articulation. Description of the jaw articulation allows a reconstruction of the relative movements of the rami in opening and closure. The only associated material of the appendicular skeleton is the lectotype left femur, but an interclavicle from Newsham is certainly eogyrinid and probably pertains toEogyrinus. Isolated ventral scales are described and their pattern of articulation reconstructed. The material described in this paper is combined with that used in an earlier account of the axial skeleton to give a reconstruction of the whole skeleton ofEogyrinusin articulation, together with a restoration of the appearance of the living animal.

Effect of L-dopa on speech in Parkinsonism. An EMG study of labial articulatory function.

The articulatory function of the labial musculature has been investigated electromyographically before and after treatment with l-dopa in patients with Parkinsonism who had dysarthria. Before medication the EMG traces generally showed a constant, abnormally increased, tonic activity, together with disturbed reciprocal innervation, which impaired the articulatory activity. After medication the tonic hyperactivity was reduced and the reciprocal innervation re-established. This normalization of the EMG articulatory pattern was paralleled by an improvement of the dysarthria.

The effects of motor and sensory disruptions on speech: a description of articulation.

Eleven spondee words produced by six dysarthric and two sensory-deprived speakers were phonetically transcribed in order to determine whether motor and sensory dysfunctions result in distinctive articulatory patterns. In general, the types of articulatory deviations produced by dysarthric speakers were different from those produced by speakers deprived of oral sensation. Stop and fricative error patterns in particular appear to differentiate the two groups of speakers. The results serve to emphasize die unique contribution of information from peripheral oral receptors in the control of ongoing speech.

Oral Sensory Perception in the Deaf

In recent years significant advances in the study of the relationships between oral sensory acuity and form discrimination in the mouth have been made through the use of a testing procedure that successfully discriminates between persons with normal speech patterns and persons with deficient articulatory patterns [R. L. Ringel et al., J. Speech and Hearing Disorders 35, 3–11 (1970)]. Little is known, however, about the oral sensory acuity and perception of the deaf, in spite of the fact that oral sensory feedback may be the only means of mediating speech commands and motor patterns in the absence of auditory function. Experiments were conducted that tested the oral sensory acuity and oral form discrimination of congenitally deaf high-school students. When compared with a similar hearing group, the deaf subjects demonstrated essentially normal sensory acuity—that is, normal two-point discrimination and difference limens for object size—but performed poorly on tasks calling for discrimination of shape differences. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to theories of language and speech function. [This research was supported in part by the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institute of Dental Research, and by the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories.]

Compensatory physiologic phonetics for the glossectomee.

Compensatory articulation patterns on the glossal phonemes were developed clinically in a study of 14 total and 11 partial glossectomees. Successful compensations were examined by cinefluorography. Patterns differed between total and partial glossectomees, with the latter making adaptive movements of the tongue stump, and the former using substitute mandibular, labial, buccal, and palatal movements with among-patient consistency in relation to developing intelligibility. On admission the partial glossectomees ranged between 6 and 24% intelligibility, as measured by CID W-22 PB word lists, and shifted after the therapy sequence to a range of 24 to 46%. The total glossectomees ranged from 0 to 8% intelligibility on admission, and shifted to a range of 18 to 42% in the program. The six total glossectomees who made no progress were all dysphagics; the other patients, none of whom exhibited dysphagia, all achieved some improvement in intelligibility.

Speech Outcome Evaluation After Two-Flap Palatoplasty In Plastic Surgery Division Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital: A Retrospective study

One of the primary goal of cleft palate repair is to provide an intact mechanism for normal speech production. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the two-flap mucoperiosteal palatoplasty procedure on speech outcomes in patients undergoing surgical repair before the age of 2 years. A retrospective analysis study was done on 22 children with complete unilateral cleft palate (with or without cleft lip) who underwent two-flap palatoplasty between year 2002 to 2006 at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Evaluation was performed by a speech pathologist for pattern of articulation, hypernasality, intelligibility, and velopharyngeal competence. Palatoplasty were performed after 2 year-old in 11 patients and before 2 year-old in 11 patients. Speech of the 22 children postpalatoplasty was evaluated perceptually from standardised tape recordings. Velopharyngeal competence in patients who underwent palatoplasty before 2 year-old compared to after 2 year-old were 72.7% good, 18.2% fair and 9.1% poor versus 54,5% good, 9,1% fair and 36,4% poor respectively. Two-flaps mucoperiosteal palatoplasty performed before the age of 2 years old shows better spepolech outcome in all parameters, although the numbers are not statistically significant. Further prospective study with larger sample is needed.

Speech Outcome in Cleft Palate Patients After Soft Palatoplasty (Stage 1) in Two-Stage Palatoplasty Technique: A Review of Two Cases

Background: The challenge in palatoplasty is no longer a successful closure of the cleft palate but an optimal speech outcome without compromising maxillofacial growth. On the contrary, repairing cleft palate as soon as possible is recommended to improve speech. The surgeon proposed two-stage palatoplasty in early aged, range between 4 to 30 months. The delayed hard palate closure started approximately between the age of three years and one year after soft palatoplasty to avoid temporary retracted oral articulation of certain consonant. Patient and Methods: 11-months old and 9-months old patients with non-syndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate had undergone soft palatoplasty. Speech was examined as a perceptual assessment, using protocol in Craniomaxillofacial Center Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, in the age of 29 months by an experienced speech pathologist. Result: Patient 1 has mild hypernasality, adequate velopharyngeal competence, normal articulation pattern, phonation and speech intelligibility. Patient 2 has misarticulation pattern,which are omission or weak consonants, substitution of pharyngeal stop, mild to moderate hypernasality, mild impairment in speech intelligibility, and inadequate velopharyngeal competence.Summary: Speech outcome is influenced by intense speech practicing done by their parents. The patient can work on the misarticulation. We need further study to know the result of speech outcome in two stage palatoplasty.

Articulation of the Deaf

Forty-six deaf children ranging in age from 3 to 15 years were given both the Templin-Darley 50 item and 116 item Diagnostic Articulation Tests. Consonants were studied relative to sound position, place of articulation, manner of articulation, voicing, and blend combinations. The data showed trends parallel to those manifested in defective articulation patterns due to organic and functional anomalies. Some of the critical factors were: initial sound position, visibility, phonetic power, neurogenic complexity in producing the phoneme, voicing, hearing level, and age. Vowels were studied relative to age, tongue placement, and tongue height. Trends were similar to those found with consonants. A rank order of articulating errors was suggestive of a maturational programing of most difficult to least difficult sound regardless of etiology.

The Life and Death of Languages

Although language is at least as old as mankind, its mysteries have as yet hardly been scratched and whatever we may hold as its ultimate nature, origin and destiny would remain at present highly speculative. Indeed, a bylaw of the Linguistic Society of Paris is mentioned to rule out of order any formal paper on the origin of language. What is more, socially accepted perspectives on language have altered in the course of ages and while it is true that a “scientific” study of linguistic phenomena has been confined to ancient India and recent times, it may very well be that the fundamental and really controlling level of these phenomena, as distinguished from the level of their habitual use and description, lies in that spontaneous power latent in the psychic reality whereby it is able to attain self-expression in lower media through inducing in them rhythm and pattern. Behind the pattern of the audible sound waves of speech lie the patterns of articulation and neural activity. Despite the operation of chance in the choice of convention in language and in its actual use, there are discernible in it patterns of a statistical and logical nature.

Relative effectiveness of three modes of delayed sidetone presentation.

Previous research has demonstrated the theoretical and clinical significance of the speech distortions associated with binaural presentation of delayed sidetone. Changes in vocal intensity, quality, and pitch, as well as deterioration in articulatory patterns resulting from delayed sidetone interference, have been investigated and reported in detail. It has been established that an amplified sidetone having a signal delay ranging from 0.14 to 0.18 second can produce maximal disruption of speech production, 1 and these changes can manifest themselves with delayed sidetone presentation levels as low as 20 db. re subject threshold for speech. 2 At higher presentation levels, e. g., 40 db. and upward, voice and articulatory dysfunctions become increasingly spectacular and disruptive to oral communication. Although quantification of these alterations in vocal and articulatory functions has been investigated, as yet the most readily measured effect of delayed sidetone interference with speech is a single resultant of the combined voice