Esophageal speech uses gas released through the esophagus to create speech sounds. It is used by those who have had a laryngectomy. The speech is intelligible but requires more effort and is slower than traditional speech. Many people start with esophageal speech and move towards using a prosthetic implant.
Esophageal speech is a type of speech in which the vocal cords are not used. Instead, gas is released through the esophagus, similar to belching, to create speech. The esophagus functions in esophageal speech in much the same way as the vocal cords in laryngeal speech, swinging rapidly to create distinct speech sounds.
Many people have experienced a primitive form of esophageal speech in their youth. It is common among boys to see how much of the alphabet they can say through burping, which is a relatively crude form of esophageal speech. Speech sounds are formed by swallowing air to induce belching and then manipulating the mouth, tongue, and esophagus as the gas is expelled.
One of the most common treatments for laryngeal cancer is a laryngectomy, in which the entire larynx and connecting apparatus, including the vocal cords, are removed. A hole is then made in the neck and the windpipe is reattached to that hole, allowing the patient to breathe through it. This rearrangement means that air no longer passes normally through the mouth and nose and that the vocal cords and larynx have completely disappeared. This obviously makes the traditional discourse impossible.
By breathing through the new hole, however, air can still be drawn into the esophagus. That air can then be blown back into the mouth and some basic jointing can occur. The resulting speech is substantially different from traditional laryngeal speech, but is still entirely intelligible. The volume of esophageal speech is reduced and the pitch tends to be much lower, as high-pitched speech requires much more energy. Esophageal speech is often described as sounding like someone with severe congestion due to a cold or allergies.
Speaking this way also requires much more effort than traditional speech, and even masterful speakers must speak at a somewhat slower pace than those who speak through the larynx. Speech frequencies for trained esophageal speakers range from about 80 to 120 words per minute, compared to about 120 to 200 words per minute for laryngeal speakers.
Many people undergoing a laryngectomy these days choose to start with esophageal speech and gradually move towards using a prosthetic implant for somewhat easier speech. Esophageal speech can take months to master properly, and many people turn to the electrolarynx soon after an operation to resume speaking right away, without having to spend time learning how to fully control their esophageal speech.
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