Pitch in esophageal speech.
Most reports on pitch in esophageal speech emphasize that it is low-pitched with a measured fundamental frequency rarely higher than 100 cps. Our investigations show, however, that much esophageal 'phonation' lacks periodicity and, therefore, a fundamental frequency (i.e. pitch in the accepted sense). An auditory impression of pitch modulation can, nevertheless, be created by physical properties other than a varying harmonic structure. Our sample includes a rare case of truly high-pitched esophageal phonation with a fundamental frequency in the upper limit of the voice an octave higher than the highest reported in the literature. High-pitched phonation apparently requires a vibratory source in a 'mode' different from that of low-pitched phonation and should therefore be distinguished from it in discussing pitch in esophageal voice.
XLIV Temporal and Pitch Aspects of Superior Esophageal Speech
The study of available source material dating from 1859 indicates a great deal of material on the incidence of cancer of the larynx and survival rate subsequent to laryngectomy, 1 6 the nature of the opera­ t i o n , 9 1 8 pedagogy, 2 and approximately 20 studies that agree in placing the usual locus of vibration at the level of the cricopharyngeus sphinc­ ter, 1 8 but which do not preclude other v i b r a t o r s . 9 1 0 Among the more important considerations is the rather general agreement that the aircharge is usually smal l 2 2 and that for successful speakers it is taken into and expelled from the upper esophagus rather than from the stomach or lower esophagus 1 8 as assumed by early writers.
Speech without using the larynx
SINCE the publication of an account of speech without a larynx by Czermak in 1859, cases of this kind have been observed repeatedly. It has been reported of several of them that they could speak with a fair degree of audibility and could produce sounds that seemed to have something of a laryngeal tone in them. Happening to meet such a case I thought it would be worth while to make a record of the speech with a view of investigating the source of this apparent laryngeal tone.