What type of airflow condition is associated with 'hyponasality'?

Hyponasality is characterized by insufficient nasal airflow during speech. This condition often occurs when there is a blockage or impairment in the nasal passages, which prevents the normal resonance associated with nasal sounds like /m/, /n/, and /ng/. When individuals produce these sounds without adequate nasal resonance, their speech can sound congested or stuffy, mimicking the effects of a cold.

In hyponasality, the airflow is inadequate through the nasal cavity, leading to a depletion of the nasal resonance that is intrinsically part of normal speech phonetics. This can be caused by conditions such as nasal obstruction, enlarged adenoids, or other anatomical anomalies that restrict airflow through the nose. Understanding hyponasality is essential for speech-language pathologists as they assess and treat various speech disorders resulting from airflow anomalies.