Patients with cochlear implants have the ability to exercise auditory control over their own speech production and over the speech of others, which is important for the development of speech control. In the present investigation three groups of 10 subjects were compared. The groups comprised: (1) cochlear implant users, (2) profoundly deaf using traditional hearing aids, and (3) hearing controls. The subjects in three groups were matched in age. While repeating after a model the subjects were recorded and the following linguistic voice variables were analysed: (1) vowel formant space, (2) voice vs. voiceless difference, (3) closure duration and VOT, (4) word accent production, (5) sentence stress production, (6) voice quality, (7) pronunciation quality. Acoustic analysis and perceptual assessment by phoneticians showed that in great majority of variables, subjects with cochlear implants performed better than the profoundly deaf subjects with traditional hearing-aids.

The aim of the research was to compare voice and speech in three groups of alaryngeal speakers: 1) patients using esophageal speech, 2) patients with electro-acoustical speech aids and 3) patients with voice prostheses. Acoustic analysis and pronunciation tests were used for the analysis. Acoustic analysis included fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, jitter, shimmer and intensity. Pronunciation parameters were: phonetic block duration, number of syllables in a phonetic block, rate of speech, maximum number of syllables in a phonetic block and rate of articulation in a maximal phonetic block. Our results demonstrated the advantages of tracheoesophageal puncture with implantation of a voice prosthesis over the other two techniques of alaryngeal speech. Voice and pronunciation with voice prostheses were closer to normal in many parameters: fundamental frequency, maximum phonation time, jitter, shimmer, duration of a phonetic block, number of syllables in a phonetic block, rate of speech and rate of articulation in maximal phonetic block.

The aim of the investigation is to compare voice and speech quality in alaryngeal patients using esophageal speech (ESOP, eight subjects), electroacoustical speech aid (EACA, six subjects) and tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEVP, three subjects). The subjects reading a short story were recorded in the sound-proof booth and the speech samples were acoustically analysed. Speech sound production was judged by 15 students of phonetics. The following variables were considered: (1) voice quality: fo, jitter, shimmer and harmonic-to-noise ratio, (2) speech sound production: number of recognized VCV syllables, and (3) temporal organization of speech: duration of the phonetic block, number of syllables in the phonetic block, rate of speech, rate of articulation and number of syllables in the longest phonetic block. The results showed that nearly normal air-stream source (lungs) in speech production of speakers with tracheoesophageal prosthesis significantly contributed to the speech timing and speech intelligibility of the alaryngeal speakers.

Electropalatographic specification of alveolar fricatives in Croatian is aimed at providing speech therapists with normative data about the range of acceptable productions of /s/ and /z/ in adult speakers of Croatian. Four variables were analysed: place of articulation, total contact, groove width and hold phase duration. Intra- and inter-speaker variability for each variable was analysed. Lingual palatal cues for voicing difference were also quantified and discussed. Results show that Croatian /s/ and /z/ are alveolar and not dental as previously reported. The comparison between the voiced and the voiceless fricative shows that durational measures provide the best differentiation. The voiceless counterpart is significantly longer. The difference between voiced and voiceless is also found in the total contact, with /z/ having more contact in the anterior four rows of electrodes, while /s/ has more contact in the posterior four rows of electrodes. This difference is also reflected in the anterior and the posterior groove widths. Possibilities of using these results as normative data for the diagnosis and treatment of atypical articulation of /s/ and /z/ are discussed.

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the acoustic parameters, perceptual estimation, and self-estimation of voice before, 1 month after, and 6 years after surgical removal of a vocal fold polyp. Subjects were five male patients who came to the Phoniatric Clinic because of breathiness. For all patients, a polyp of one vocal fold was diagnosed. The operation was performed using cold instruments based on the principles of contemporary phonosurgery aiming maximally at preserving the phonatory bridge of the vocal fold. The subjects were recorded in a sound-proof booth three times: before surgery, 1 month post-, and 6 years post-operation. The patients read a short tale and they pronounced a sustained vowel /a/. The following variables were measured: clinical (the distance of the polyp from the anterior commissure, the width of the polyp base and the size of the polyp), and acoustic (F0, jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio, voice turbulence index, degree of voice breaks, and long-term average spectrum). Acoustic variables were measured using the program Praat, while the estimation of voice quality was completed using the GRBAS scale and self-estimation questionnaire of the voice quality, which were answered by the patients. The results showed significant improvement in the variables investigated and improved patients satisfaction with their vocal health after the surgery.