Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

If a speaker has difficulty controlling vocal fold vibration, which characteristic is most likely observed?

1. Voicing throughout the silence for /p/

2. Voicing throughout the silence for /b/

3. Lack of voicing for /f/ in continuant noise

4. Lack of voicing for /v/ in continuant noise

The correct answer is: Voicing throughout the silence for /p/

The characteristic most likely observed when a speaker has difficulty controlling vocal fold vibration is voicing throughout the silence for /p/. The sound /p/ is a voiceless plosive, meaning that it is produced without vocal fold vibration. However, in cases where a speaker has difficulty with vocal fold control, they may inadvertently produce voicing during the production of a voiceless sound like /p/. This would manifest as a voice quality present where there should be none, indicating a lack of control over the initiation and cessation of vocal fold vibration. In contrast, the other sounds mentioned involve specific circumstances of voicing and voicelessness. For /b/, which is a voiced sound, voicing throughout silence would be expected rather than indicative of a problem. The sounds /f/ and /v/ also relate to voicing; /f/ is voiceless while /v/ is voiced, and both being produced in continuant noise suggests that the difficulty with vocal fold control would influence how these are articulated. However, the key focus is on the production of voicing during an expected silence in a voiceless sound, particularly relevant for /p/.