Speech Therapy Techniques

noun a complex speech sound or glide that begins with one vowel sound and changes to another within the same syllable, as (oi) in oil or (ai) in pain

• The linguist explained the concept of diphthong in great detail during the lecture.
• I still don't quite get how to pronounce that diphthong correctly.
• Yo, did you hear that diphthong in the song? It sounded so cool!
• The diphthong of emotions in her voice made it clear how conflicted she was.

noun the skill of clear and expressive speech, especially of distinct pronunciation and articulation

• She excelled in elocution, delivering her speech with eloquence and precision.
• His elocution skills are top-notch, he can really captivate an audience.
• I'm working on my elocution game, trying to sound more professional.
• Her elocution was like music to my ears, so smooth and soothing.

noun the ability to speak or write a particular language easily and accurately

adjective describing someone who is able to speak or write a particular language easily and accurately

• Her fluency in multiple languages impressed the hiring committee.
• I wish I had the same fluency in Spanish as my cousin.
• Dude, his fluency in coding is off the charts!
• The dancer moved with such fluency that it seemed like she was floating on air.

noun a liquid used for rinsing the mouth and throat

verb to rinse or wash the mouth and throat with a liquid

• The dentist recommended that I gargle with salt water to soothe my sore throat.
• I always gargle with mouthwash before bed to freshen my breath.
• I hate when my mom makes me gargle with that gross medicine when I'm sick.
• She felt like she needed to gargle to cleanse herself of the lies she had been telling.

noun an inflammation of the larynx, typically resulting in a husky or hoarse voice and sometimes complete loss of voice

• The patient was diagnosed with acute laryngitis and was advised to rest their voice.
• I heard Sarah has laryngitis and can't talk for a few days.
• I feel like I'm getting laryngitis from all this talking.
• His laryngitis of the soul prevented him from speaking up about his feelings.

noun A device used by musicians to mark time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick

• The musician used a metronome to keep time while practicing the piece.
• I can't play the piano without my trusty metronome to help me stay on beat.
• I need to grab my metronome before we start jamming out.
• His heart beat like a metronome, steady and unwavering.

noun the act or process of nasalizing, or the state of being nasalized

• The phonetic study focused on the nasalization of vowels in different languages.
• I noticed the nasalization of her voice when she had a cold.
• The singer's nasalization of the song made it sound unique.
• The nasalization of the music gave it a haunting quality.

adjective relating to or involving the phoneme

• The linguist analyzed the phonemic structure of the language.
• I learned about phonemic sounds in my linguistics class.
• I can't figure out the phonemic symbols in this language.
• The phonemic differences between the two dialects were like night and day.

adjective relating to speech sounds or the way they are pronounced

• The phonetic transcription of the word 'cat' is /kæt/.
• I find phonetic symbols confusing to remember.
• Some people think learning phonetics is a real pain.
• Understanding phonetics is like unlocking a secret code.

verb to make a hissing sound like that of a snake

• The snake began to sibilate as a warning to the approaching predator.
• I could hear the snake sibilating in the bushes nearby.
• The snake was sibilating like crazy, it was so creepy.
• The tension in the room was so high, you could almost hear it sibilating.

noun the act of hissing

• The sibilation of the snake could be heard from a distance.
• I can't stand the sibilation sound of the kettle boiling.
• The sibilation of the cicadas is so annoying.
• The sibilation of the wind through the trees was like a whispered secret.

verb to have a particular tone or quality when spoken or heard

• Her voice sounded like an angel singing.
• You sound like you had a rough day at work.
• That new song sounds like fire!
• His excuse sounded like a bunch of lies to me.

noun a part of the body involved in the production of speech, such as the larynx or vocal cords

• The speech organ, also known as the vocal tract, plays a crucial role in producing sounds for speech.
• If you strain your speech organ too much, you might end up losing your voice.
• I heard she's getting surgery on her speech organ to improve her singing.
• His words flowed smoothly as if his speech organ was a finely tuned instrument.

verb to pronounce or articulate words slowly and clearly in order to read or understand them

adverb in a manner that involves pronouncing or articulating words slowly and clearly

• Before making a decision, it is important to sound out all possible options.
• Let's sound out our friends to see who wants to come to the party.
• I'll sound out my parents to see if they'll let me borrow the car.
• The politician decided to sound out public opinion before announcing his new policy.

noun the manner in which syllables are divided in a word

• Proper syllabication is crucial in determining the correct pronunciation of words.
• Make sure you break down the word into syllables for easier understanding.
• I struggle with the whole syllabication thing, it's too much work.
• The syllabication of emotions can be complex and difficult to express.

noun A speech sound or glide that begins with one vowel sound and moves through a second to end in a third, such as the sounds represented by the vowels in 'ire,' 'your,' and 'lower.'

• A triphthong is a combination of three vowel sounds in a single syllable.
• I learned about triphthongs in my linguistics class and found them quite interesting.
• I have no idea what a triphthong is, sounds like some kind of alien language.
• The triphthong of emotions she felt was evident in her tear-streaked face.

noun a phonological process in some dialects of English where the sound /θ/ is replaced by /f/ or /t/ in words like 'think' and 'this'

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• The phonological process of th fronting involves the pronunciation of the sound /θ/ as /f/ or /ð/ as /v/ in certain dialects.
• Some people find th fronting hard to understand, but it's just a different way of speaking.
• I love how some accents have th fronting - it sounds so cool!
• In a metaphorical sense, th fronting can represent the blending of different cultures and languages.

noun a surgical procedure to improve the tone and quality of the voice

• The actress underwent a voice lift procedure to enhance her vocal range.
• I heard that Sarah got a voice lift to sound better on stage.
• I'm thinking about getting a voice lift so I can sing like a pro.
• The new microphone gave his voice a lift during the performance.

adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'accentless' describes something that lacks an accent.

• The linguist was impressed by the student's accentless pronunciation of the foreign language.
• She spoke with such an accentless tone that it was hard to tell where she was from.
• He raps with an accentless flow that sets him apart from other artists.
• Her writing style is so clear and concise, it's almost accentless in its delivery.

adjective relating to or characterized by affrication, a type of consonantal sound that begins as a stop and releases as a fricative

• The linguist explained that the sound 'ch' in the word 'church' is affricated.
• I always struggle with pronouncing words that have affricated sounds.
• I can't stand how some people over-affricate their words when they talk.
• Her affricated laughter filled the room with joy.