Vowel articulation and laryngeal control in the speech of the deaf

Fundamental‐frequency (F0) and formant‐frequency data were collected for groups of deaf and normal‐hearing boys and girls in order to: (1) examine the relationship between the vowel‐to‐vowel variations in F0 produced by deaf speakers and their proficiency at vowel articulation; and (2) explore mechanisms which might account for the exaggerated vowel‐related variations in F0 produced by many deaf speakers. For the most part, greater F0 variability was observed for deaf speakers who produced a relatively wide range of vowel sounds than for speakers whose articulatory capabilities were more limited. Exaggerated vowel‐to‐vowel variations in F0 were produced by deaf speakers whose mean F0 was somewhat higher than normal and who were capable of articulatory configurations appropriate to high vowels. Smaller vowel‐to‐vowel variations in F0 were produced by deaf speakers whose mean F0 was comparable to normal and by speakers whose articulatory skills, particularly with respect to the production of high vowels, we...