hyponasality
Stuffed-up speech sound
Hyponasality is a voice quality that sounds blocked or muffled, as if speaking with a stuffed nose.
It results from insufficient airflow through the nasal passages during speech, the opposite of the excessive nasality heard in a "nasal" voice.
Common causes include congestion, swollen adenoids, or structural abnormalities: The child's hyponasality cleared up after his cold resolved.
causes
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
- blockedPassage prevented or impeded
- stuffyLacking fresh air
- sinusitisInflamed nasal cavities
- polypsFixed aquatic invertebrates
deviated septum · rhinitis · allergies · cold · flu · inflammation · postnasal drip
speech
Clear vocal expression
- phoneticsStudy of speech sounds
- speech pathologyStudy of communication disorders
- speech therapyTreatment for communication disorders
- adenoidectomyExcision of nasopharyngeal tonsils
congestion
Excessive accumulation causing blockage
polyps · deviated septum · rhinitis · allergies · cold · flu · inflammation · postnasal drip
articulation
Clear vocal expression
- phoneticsStudy of speech sounds
- speech pathologyStudy of communication disorders
- speech therapyTreatment for communication disorders
muffled
Made quieter, less distinct
- speech disordersstuttering, stammering, stammer, dysarthria, slurred speech
- nasal disordershypernasality
- speech errorsslip of the tongue, mispronunciation, malapropism, malapropisms, spoonerism