• dynamics of speech

• the diagnostic audiometer

• test environment

• patient’s and clinician’s role

• speech-threshold testing

• most comfortable loudness and uncomfortable loudness

• speech-recognition testing

• audibility index

speech audiometry

• intensity

• frequency

• suprasegmentals

dynamics of speech

• intensity

• whisper - 20 dB HL

• normal conversational speech - 50 to 60 dB

• loud speech - 70 dB

• shouting - 90 dB

dynamics of speech

• frequency

• about 250 to 8000 Hz

• most important speech sounds - 500 through 6000 Hz

dynamics of speech

dynamics of speech

Dynamics of Specific Speech Sounds

Class Intensity Frequency

Vowels High Low

Nasals Low Low

Stops Varies Mid-high

Fricatives Low High

F2 transitions Varies Mid-high

dynamics of speech

• suprasegmentals are those aspects of speech not attributable to specific speech sounds

• these include ...

• stress

• duration

• pitch

• juncture

dynamics of speech

• input transducer

• VU meter and amplifier

• attenuator (hearing level dial)

• output transducer

equipment

• normally sound treated booth - mandatory for mlv

• recommend CDs whenever possible

test environment

• patient must understand the speech stimuli

• open set - repeat words/phrases or write it down

• closed set - multiple choice check-off or picture pointing

• clinician must make sure that stimuli is presented properly

patient’s and clinician’s role

• speech awareness (aka speech detection) threshold

• speech-recognition threshold (SRT) - lowest intensity where 50% of spondees correctly identified

• purpose of SRT

• stimuli - spondees

• procedures

speech thresholds

• most comfortable loudness level (MCL)

• found about midway between SRT and UCL

• uncomfortable loudness level

• normally between 85 and 105 dB (even for those w/ sensorineural hearing loss)

MCL & UCL

• purpose

• stimuli

• monosyllabic word lists - W-22, NU-6, high frequency lists, etc.

• syllables and sentences - nonsense syllables, SPIN, CID everyday sentences, etc.

• pictures - WIPI, NU-CHIPS, etc.

speech-recognition testing

• example of nu-6 word list

• 50 monosyllabic, phonemically balanced words

• stimuli

• base, mess, cause, mop, good, luck, walk, youth, etc.

speech audiometry

• example of the word intelligibility by picture identification (WIPI).

• 25 monosyllabic words - appropriate for children 4 to 6.

speech audiometry

• description

• ratio or percentage

• high frequencies (e.g., 2kHz) more heavily weighted.

• correlates with hearing handicap

• how is it determined?

audibility index

summary