Voice and Speech Production Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards generated from the Voice & Speech Production exam study guide.

Respiratory Subsystem

The subsystem comprising the lungs, trachea, rib cage, diaphragm, and respiratory muscles that provides the airflow and pressure needed for phonation.

Phonatory/Laryngeal Subsystem

The subsystem comprising the larynx, vocal folds, and intrinsic laryngeal muscles that converts airflow into sound through vocal-fold vibration.

Resonatory Subsystem

The subsystem comprising the pharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, and vocal tract that shapes and amplifies the sound produced by the larynx.

Articulatory Subsystem

The subsystem comprising the tongue, lips, jaw, and palate that shapes sound into recognizable speech sounds.

Neurologic Control Subsystem

The subsystem comprising the brain and cranial/spinal nerves that coordinates and controls all speech production systems.

Voice (vs. Speech)

The sound produced primarily by the laryngeal source combined with resonance from the vocal tract.

Speech (vs. Voice)

The acoustic product formed by the laryngeal source combined with the movements of the vocal tract.

Checking Action

The continuous contraction of inspiratory muscles during speech that resists the passive recoil of the expanded respiratory system to maintain constant airflow.

Normal Subglottic Pressure

The subglottic pressure required for normal voicing, measuring $4\text{--}6\text{ cm H}_2\text{O}$ (with threshold pressure at approximately $3\text{ cm H}_2\text{O}$).

Thyroid Cartilage

The large, shield-shaped laryngeal cartilage consisting of the thyroid lamina, thyroid prominence, superior cornu, inferior cornu, and oblique line.

Cricoid Cartilage

A ring-shaped cartilage forming the inferior border of the larynx that provides attachment points for laryngeal muscles and arytenoid cartilages.

Arytenoid Movement — Thyroarytenoid (TA)

Movement where the arytenoid cartilage rocks inward during phonation.

Arytenoid Movement — Interarytenoid (IA)

Movement where the arytenoid cartilage glides upward and inward during phonation.

Arytenoid Movement — Lateral Cricoarytenoid (LCA)

Movement where the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage rotates inward.

Arytenoid Movement — Posterior Cricoarytenoid (PCA)

Movement where the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage rotates outward during respiration.

Lateral Cricoarytenoid (LCA) Muscle

An intrinsic laryngeal adductor muscle that adducts the vocal folds by rotating the vocal process inward.

Interarytenoid (IA) Muscle

An intrinsic laryngeal adductor muscle, consisting of transverse and oblique fibers, that adducts the vocal folds by gliding arytenoids up and inward.

Posterior Cricoarytenoid (PCA) Muscle

The ONLY intrinsic laryngeal abductor muscle, which functions to open and move the vocal folds apart.

Cricothyroid (CT) Muscle

An intrinsic laryngeal tensor muscle that tenses and lengthens the vocal folds to elevate fundamental frequency ($F_0$) and pitch.

Thyrovocalis Muscle

The medial section of the thyroarytenoid muscle that acts as an intrinsic tensor of the vocal folds.

Thyromuscularis Muscle

The lateral section of the thyroarytenoid muscle that acts as an intrinsic relaxer of the vocal folds.

Extrinsic Laryngeal Muscles

Muscles attached outside the larynx, divided into elevators (e.g., stylohyoid, mylohyoid, digastric) and depressors (e.g., sternohyoid, omohyoid), that adjust overall laryngeal position.

Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve (RLN)

A branch of Cranial Nerve X (Vagus) providing motor control to all intrinsic laryngeal muscles EXCEPT the cricothyroid, and sensory coverage below the vocal folds.

Left Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Vulnerability

Increased clinical vulnerability due to its longer path looping around the aortic arch compared to the right RLN looping around the right subclavian artery.

Internal Branch of SLN

The sensory branch of the superior laryngeal nerve providing sensation to the region above the vocal folds.

External Branch of SLN

The motor branch of the superior laryngeal nerve providing innervation specifically to the cricothyroid muscle.

Epithelium Layer

The outermost histological layer of the vocal fold that is thin and stiff.

Superficial Lamina Propria (SLLP)

The second layer of the vocal fold, composed of loose tissue resembling soft gelatin.

Intermediate Lamina Propria (ILLP)

The third layer of the vocal fold, composed of elastic fibers resembling soft rubber bands.

Deep Lamina Propria (DLLP)

The fourth layer of the vocal fold, composed of fibrous tissue resembling cotton threads.

Cover-Body Theory

Hirano's (1974) model dividing the vocal fold into a passive cover (epithelium + SLLP), a transition layer (ILLP + DLLP), and an active body (thyrovocalis muscle).

Myoelastic-Aerodynamic Theory

The valid theory explaining that vocal-fold vibration results from physical interaction between muscle forces, tissue elasticity, and subglottic air pressure/airflow.

Neurochronaxic Theory

An invalid theory that incorrectly claimed every single cycle of vocal-fold vibration was initiated by a separate neural impulse from the brain.

Bernoulli Principle in Phonation

The aerodynamic principle where high airflow velocity through the narrow glottis reduces air pressure, drawing the vocal folds together.

Vertical Phase Difference

The vibratory pattern in which the inferior/caudal portion of the vocal folds opens and closes prior to the superior/cranial portion.

Source-Filter Theory

The acoustic speech production theory stating vocal-fold vibration generates a source sound that is subsequently shaped by the vocal tract acting as a filter.

Fundamental Frequency ($F_0$) Control

The regulation of vocal pitch primarily determined by the stiffness, mass, and length of the vocal folds.

Loudness Control

The regulation of vocal intensity determined primarily by subglottic pressure and airflow amplitude.