Nasal voice is caused by incomplete or weak closure of the velum, resulting in air flowing through both the mouth and nose. It can be caused by anatomical variations or learned speech variation. Therapy and surgery can be used to correct it.
Nasal voice is a descriptive term given to a speaking voice that has a noticeably nasal quality. Nasal quality is caused by an incomplete or weak closure of the velum, which is an anatomical structure located at the back of the mouth that is used to separate the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. A nasal voice can be a sign of a weak veil, or it can be caused by an anatomical variation that precludes the ability to close the veil tightly. It can also be the result of a learned speech variation.
Speech sounds are divided into nasal and non-nasal sounds. Nasal speech sounds are those produced with air moving through both the mouth and nose, or in more technical terms, both the oral and nasal cavities. In English, the vast majority of speech sounds are non-nasal, meaning they are produced with air flowing through the mouth but not through the nose. The small subset of English nasal speech sounds that are always produced with air flowing through the nose include “m”, “n” and the “ng” sound that occurs at the end of words like king.
Typically, when a person produces a non-nasal vocal sound, air flows only through the mouth. If air is allowed to flow through the nose during the production of non-nasal speech sounds, the resulting voice is referred to as hypernasal speech or nasal speech correction. This occurs when there is incomplete closure of the veil, which separates the mouth from the nose. The veil is a muscular structure that can be lifted to make contact with the back of the throat, also known as the pharynx. Incomplete closure can also occur in cases of cleft palate or when there is an opening known as a fistula in the palate, which is the anatomical structure on the roof of the mouth.
When complete closure of the veil is achieved, the nasal quality of speech is eliminated. A person who has a nasal voice does not achieve full closure of the veil during speech. There are several reasons why this can occur. Some people are unable to close the veil due to genetic variations in the anatomy such as a short veil or an enlarged pharynx. Others may have a weak veil that cannot be lifted high enough to achieve complete closure. In some cases, a partial blockage of the pharynx may make it impossible for the individual to achieve closure, and in still other cases, the person is able to lift the veil but has learned to speak with a nasal quality.
Some individuals who have a nasal voice seek therapy to decrease the nasal quality of their speech. Nasal speech therapy includes exercises to strengthen the veil. Voice prostheses, also called dental plates, can also be used to bring the velum closer to the pharyngeal wall so that less muscle action is required to completely close the velum.
For some individuals, variations in anatomical structure preclude the ability to correct nasal voice without surgery. Nasal vocal surgery may involve an attempt to stretch the veil so it can make contact with the back of the throat, or it may involve an attempt to bring the throat walls directly behind the veil closer to the veil to improve contact between the veil and the pharyngeal wall. If there is a fistula in the palate, the surgery will involve closing the opening.
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