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Whisper and Phonation: Aerodynamic Comparisons Across Adduction and Loudness
Ramya Konnai1, Ronald C Scherer2, Amy Peplinski3
1Department of Neurology, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Summary
Whisper aerodynamics differ from normal voice production, with lower subglottal pressure and higher airflow not always observed. These variations depend on the specific "whisper type" and individual production conditions.
Area of Science:
- Acoustic and aerodynamic study of voice production.
- Speech science and phonetics research.
- Investigating vocal production mechanisms.
Background:
- Whisper production varies significantly between individuals, impacting glottal aerodynamics.
- Differences in whisper and phonation carry linguistic, clinical, and emotional information.
- Understanding whisper aerodynamics is crucial for various communication contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate aerodynamic differences between whisper and normal phonation.
- To examine the effects of loudness and vocal fold adduction on whisper aerodynamics.
- To compare whisper and phonation across different loudness and adduction levels.
Main Methods:
- Participants: 3 men, 5 women (20-40 years old).
- Task: Producing syllable strings (/baep:/) in whisper and phonation.
- Conditions: 3 loudness levels (soft, medium, loud) and 3 voice qualities (breathy, normal, pressed) for 18 combinations.
- Analysis: Regression analysis using SAS statistical software.
Main Results:
- Subglottal pressure was lower in whisper for 10/18 combinations.
- Mean glottal airflow was higher in whisper for 13/18 combinations.
- Flow resistance was lower in whisper for 14/18 combinations, more frequent in females.
- Whisper does not always show lower pressure and higher airflow compared to phonation.
Conclusions:
- The typical aerodynamic differences in whisper (lower pressure, higher airflow, decreased resistance) are not universal.
- Findings suggest whisper aerodynamics depend on the specific "whisper type" and production conditions.
- This study helps explain the wide variation in whisper production observed in previous research.
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