Speech science midterm

Tidal volume (TV)

Air inhaled or exhaled during one quiet breath (500ml)

Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)

Extra air you can inhale after a normal inhalation (3,000ml)

Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)

Extra air you can exhale after a normal exhalation (1,100ml)

Residual volume (RV)

Air left in the lungs after maximal exhalation (1,200ml)

Inspiratory capacity (IC)

Maximum air inhaled after a normal exhalation (TV + IRV)

Functional residual capacity (FRC)

Air remaining after a normal exhalation (ERV + RV)

Vital capacity (VC)

Maximum air moved between a full inhalation and full exhalation (IRV + TV + ERV)

Total lung capacity (TLC)

Total air in the lungs after maximal inhalation (VC + RV)

Quiet breathing

Inhalation and exhalation are relatively similar in duration, and exhalation is generally passive.

Speech breathing

You take a relatively quick inhalation and use a longer, controlled exhalation to produce phrases.

Inspiration

Usually shorter during speech because you need to refill your lungs quickly between phrases.

Expiration

Usually much longer during speech because airflow must be controlled to sustain speech and voice.

Visceral pleura

Covers the lungs.

Parietal pleura

Lines the inside of the chest wall and diaphragm.

Pleural fluid

Reduces friction and allows the layers to slide while maintaining close mechanical coupling.

Intrapleural pressure

Pressure in the pleural cavity; normally negative relative to atmospheric pressure during quiet breathing.

Boyle's law

at a constant temperature, when gas volume increases, its pressure decreases, and vice versa.

Inhalation

• Thoracic volume increases.

• Alveolar pressure drops below atmospheric pressure.

• Air flows into the lungs.

Exhalation

• Thoracic volume decreases.

• Alveolar pressure rises above atmospheric pressure.

• Air flows out of the lungs.

Diaphragm

Primary muscle of inhalation. Contracts and moves downward, increasing thoracic volume.

External intercostals

Elevate the ribs, expanding the chest.

Accessory muscles

such as the sternocleidomastoid and scalenes assist during deep or effortful inhalation.

The relaxation curve

the respiratory system's natural tendency to recoil when respiratory muscles are relaxed

Thyroid

Largest cartilage; forms the anterior laryngeal prominence; provides attachment for vocal folds

Cricoid

Ring-shaped cartilage below the thyroid; sits above the trachea

Arytenoids

Paired cartilages on the posterior cricoid; vocal folds attach to their vocal processes

Epiglottis

Leaf-shaped cartilage that helps protect the airway during swallowing

Corniculates

Small paired cartilages sitting atop the arytenoids

Cuneiforms

Small cartilages within the aryepiglottic folds that help support them

Posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA)

Abducts vocal folds; the only major vocal-fold abductor

Lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA)

Adducts vocal folds by rotating the arytenoids inward

Transverse interarytenoid

Draws the arytenoids together; closes the posterior glottis

Oblique interarytenoids

Approximate the arytenoids and assist in closing the laryngeal inlet

Cricothyroid (CT)

Lengthens and tenses the vocal folds; generally raises pitch

Thyrovocalis

Medial portion of the thyroarytenoid; helps fine-tune vocal-fold tension and stiffness

Thyromuscularis

Lateral portion of the thyroarytenoid; shortens and thickens the vocal folds, generally lowering pitch

Pars recta

More vertical fibers; contributes to tilting the thyroid cartilage relative to the cricoid.

Pars obliqua

More oblique fibers; also contributes to thyroid-cricoid movement and vocal-fold lengthening.

Myoelastic-aerodynamic theory

Explains that voice is produced through the interaction of muscular positioning, the elastic properties of the vocal folds, and airflow from the lungs.

Bernoulli principle

When air moves faster through a narrow passage, its static pressure decreases. In phonation, airflow accelerates through the narrowed glottis, contributing to reduced pressure between the folds.

Convergent glottis

Narrower below and wider above; often associated with the opening phase.

Divergent glottis

Wider below and narrower above; often associated with the closing phase.

Subglottal pressure

Pressure below the vocal folds.

Supraglottal pressure

Pressure above the vocal folds.

Gentle onset

Airflow and vocal-fold vibration begin together smoothly.

Breathy onset

Airflow begins before full vocal-fold vibration, producing audible breathiness.

Glottal attack (hard onset)

The folds are tightly approximated before airflow forces them apart, producing an abrupt onset.

Fundamental frequency

is the number of complete vocal-fold vibration cycles per second, measured in hertz (Hz).

Jitter

Cycle-to-cycle variation in fundamental frequency or period

Shimmer

Cycle-to-cycle variation in vocal amplitude

Voice range profile

A voice range profile (also called a phonetogram) maps the range of pitches and intensities a person can produce

Maximum phonation time (MPT)

MPT measures how long someone can sustain a vowel, commonly /a/, on one breath.

S/Z ratio

The s/z ratio compares the maximum duration of /s/ to the maximum duration of /z/. (s is voiceless, z is voiced)

Phonation quotient (PQ)

The phonation quotient estimates average airflow during sustained phonation when direct airflow measurements are unavailable.