Compensatory strategies for the alveolar flap [ɾ] production in the presence of ankyloglossia

ABSTRACT Purpose: to analyze the compensatory strategies used by subjects with ankyloglossia for the production of the consonantal alveolar flap sound /ɾ/. Methods: a cross-sectional analytic observational comparative study was conducted with 88 subjects, 44 being diagnosed with ankyloglossia and 44 with normal lingual frenulum, matched by age and gender. They were asked to repeat the syllable /ra/ five times in a row. Video recordings of the speech were taken. Frame by frame analysis of all recordings were performed to verify tongue, lip, and mandible movements during the production of the alveolar flap. The analysis of the films was performed by two Speech Language Pathologists specialized in Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder. Fisher’s Exact Test was used for statistical treatment (p≤0.05.) Results: the frame by frame analysis of the alveolar flap production of subjects with and without ankyloglossia showed that subjects with ankyloglossia performed several compensatory strategies when producing this sound. There was a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) when subjects with and without ankyloglossia were compared. Conclusion: subjects with ankyloglossia used several lip, tongue, and mandible compensatory strategies to produce the Brazilian Portuguese consonantal alveolar flap /ɾ/.

摘要
研究目的：分析舌系带过短（ankyloglossia）受试者在发出齿龈闪音辅音/ɾ/（consonantal alveolar flap sound）时所采用的代偿策略。
方法：本研究为横断面分析性观察对比研究，共纳入88名受试者，其中44名被诊断为舌系带过短，44名舌系带正常，两组按年龄与性别进行匹配。要求受试者连续重复发出/ra/音节五次，并录制其语音视频。对所有录制视频进行逐帧分析，以观测齿龈闪音发音过程中舌、唇及下颌的运动状态。分析工作由两名擅长口颌面肌功能障碍（Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder）的言语语言病理学家（Speech Language Pathologists）完成。统计学检验采用Fisher确切概率法（Fisher’s Exact Test），以p≤0.05作为显著性检验水准。
结果：对有、无舌系带过短受试者的齿龈闪音发音进行逐帧分析后发现，舌系带过短受试者在发音时采用了多种代偿策略；两组受试者的表现存在统计学显著性差异（p=0.001）。
结论：舌系带过短受试者会采用多种唇、舌及下颌代偿策略，以发出巴西葡萄牙语中的齿龈闪音辅音/ɾ/。