Objective: As the population of the United States grows and becomes increasingly diverse, it is important to recognize and understand the layers of linguistic diversity that exist within these populations. Currently, there is a noticeable gap in literature and studies exploring how vocal quality and function differ among speakers of more than one language, specifically among English and Spanish bilinguals. To best clinically treat bilingual patients that may be experiencing voice concerns in one or both languages, it may be important to better understand potential differences in vocal function measures between languages. In further understanding these differences, clinicians can provide voice therapy that is aligned with linguistic and cultural backgrounds, potentially improving evaluations and diagnoses of voice disorders in English-Spanish bilingual speakers. Certain studies have examined acoustic parameters between monolingual English speakers and bilingual Spanish-English speakers, but fewer studies have solely focused on differences in both acoustic and aerodynamic measures between English and Spanish within the same speaker. The objective of this study was to examine potential differences in acoustic and aerodynamic measures of voice production in English and Spanish by the same bilingual speakers. 

Methods: 30 participants completed a demographic intake form and the LEAP-Q to characterize their language profile. A laryngeal exam was administered to determine no existing laryngeal pathologies. All participants recorded a reading task and conversational task in both English and Spanish; the order of languages was randomized. Voice recordings in both languages were taken and assessed for acoustic (i.e., cepstral peak prominence) and aerodynamic measures (i.e., mean airflow during voicing). Statistical analysis will be done to compare acoustic and aerodynamic measures of English and Spanish within a bilingual speaker.

Results: Preliminary findings indicate significant acoustic and aerodynamic differences between English and Spanish within the same speaker.

Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that voice evaluations among bilingual English-Spanish speakers should consider potential vocal function differences between languages spoken.