Influence of Voice Focus on Oral-Nasal Balance in Speakers of Brazilian Portuguese

Author(s)

de Boer, Gillian ; de Castro Marino, Viviane Cristina ; Berti, Larissa Cristina ; Gradim Fabron, Eliana Maria ; Bressmann, Tim

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FOLIA PHONIATRICA ET LOGOPAEDICA; v. 68, n. 3, p. 152-158, 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigates whether a change in speaking voice focus affects the oral-nasal balance. The investigation was undertaken with different phonetic materials in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese, which features phonological and phonetic vowel nasalization. Methods: Ten females read oral, balanced oral-nasal, and nasal loaded sentences in their normal voice, and with a backward focus and a forward focus. Nasalance scores were collected with a Nasometer 6400. Results: A repeated measures ANOVA of the nasalance scores demonstrated a significant main effect of speaking condition (F(2, 18) = 12.87, p < 0.001). The mean nasalance scores across the stimuli in the backward focus and normal speaking conditions were 36.85% (SD 16.85) and 40.18% (SD 18.02), respectively, both significantly lower than the forward focus condition at 45.38% (SD 18.90). Conclusion: The results demonstrated that speaking focus influences oral-nasal balance in normal speakers. In future research, it should be investigated whether voice focus can also modify oral-nasal balance in hypernasal speakers with cleft palate and other disorders. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/01583-8 - Oral-nasal resonance and tongue coordination during the speech production
• Grantee: Larissa Cristina Berti
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• FAPESP's process: 12/23899-6 - Nasalance measure in different phonetic context in Brazilian Portuguese speakers
• Grantee: Viviane Cristina de Castro Marino
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants