Distributional Analyses of An Index of Nasal Coupling (HONC) In Simulated Hypernasal Speech

Abstract

West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 Distributional characteristics of an index of nasal coupling, HONC, were investigated using simulated hypernasal speech produced by ten female adults. The results showed that the HONC index could differentiate between the normal and hypernasal speech as well as between the normal reading of two passages, one devoid of nasal consonants, and the other with nasal consonants contained at the natural frequency of occurrence in English. Two alternative methods of obtaining the HONC index were also studied and are discussed.