SPEECH RATE OF ADULTS FROM JOÃO PESSOA WITHOUT FLUENCY DISORDERS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To present measures of speech rate (rate of elocution and rate of production of information) obtained in young adults from João Pessoa without fluency disorders. Materials and Methods: Experimental study, cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative and quantitative research, performed with 139 adults native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese, aged between 18:0 and 27:11 years, natural and residents of the city of João Pessoa-PB/Brazil, of both sexes. Through the collection of semi-spontaneous speech samples, the assessment of speech fluency was performed with emphasis on analysis of measures of elocution rate in syllables per minute and second and rate of production of information in words per minute and second. Results: To produce a speech sample composed of 200 fluent syllables, the young adult from João Pessoa uses an average of 48.96 seconds to issue an average of 103.17 fluent words. The average elocution rate was of 252.17spm and 4.20sps and the rate of production of information averaged 130.09wpm and 2.17wps. There was no statistical difference in the total fluent words and rate of production of information in relation to age, not revealing, therefore, significant difference in age and sex in relation to rates of elocution. Conclusion: The main measures of speech rate found in adults from João Pessoa with typical fluency were the averages of 103.17wpm and 252.17spm, in addition to the relation between the variables age and rate of production of information, showing a reduction in the linguistic productivity with aging. DESCRIPTORS: Speech. Language and Hearing Sciences. Measurement of Speed. Differential Diagnosis. Stuttering.