Lisp: Difference between revisions

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{{for multi|the programming language|Lisp (programming language)|other uses}}

{{DiseaseDisorder infobox |

{{Infobox medical condition (new)

Name = Lisp |

| name ICD10 = F80.8 | = Lisp

| ICD9synonyms = {{ICD9|307.9}} |Sigmatism

| field = [[Pediatrics]]

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A '''lisp''' is a [[speech impairment]] in which a person misarticulates [[sibilant]]s ({{IPAblink|s}}, {{IPAblink|z}}, {{IPAblink|ts}}, {{IPAblink|dz}}, {{IPAblink|ʃ}}, {{IPAblink|ʒ}}, {{IPAblink|t͡ʃ}}, {{IPAblink|d͡ʒ}}).<ref name="Bowen">{{cite web |url = http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/~speech/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:lisp&catid=11:admin&Itemid=122 |title = Lisping - when /s/ and /z/ are hard to say |first = Caroline |last = Bowen |access-date = 2006-03-07 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120424035340/http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/~speech/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:lisp&catid=11:admin&Itemid=122 |archive-date = 2012-04-24 }}</ref> These misarticulations often result in unclear speech in languages with [[phonemic]] sibilants.

{{for|the programming language|Lisp programming language}}

A '''lisp''' is a [[speech impediment]], historically also known as '''sigmatism'''.<ref name="Bowen">{{cite web| url=http://members.tripod.com/Caroline_Bowen/lisping.htm| title=Lisping - when /s/ and /z/ are hard to say|

first=Caroline|

last=Bowen|

accessdate=2006-03-07}}</ref> Stereotypically, people with a lisp are unable to pronounce [[sibilant]]s (like the sound [[Voiceless alveolar fricative|{{IPA|[s]}}]]), and replace them with [[dental|interdental]]s (like the sound [[Voiceless dental fricative|{{IPA|[θ]}}]]), though there are actually several kinds of lisp. "Interdental" lisping is produced when the tip of the tongue portrudes between the front teeth and "dentalised" lisping is produced when the tip of the tongue just touches the front teeth.

==Types==

The "lateral" lisp, where the 's' and 'z' sounds are produced with air escaping over the sides of the tongue, is also called 'slushy ess' or a 'slushy lisp' due to the wet, spitty sound. The symbols for these [[lateral consonant|lateralized]] sounds are in the Extended [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] for speech disorders, {{IPA|[ʪ]}} and {{IPA|[ʫ]}}.

* A '''frontal lisp''' occurs when the tongue is placed anterior to the target. '''Interdental lisping''' is produced when the tip of the tongue protrudes between the front teeth and '''dentalized lisping''' is produced when the tip of the tongue just touches the front teeth. The transcription in the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] for interdental sibilants is {{IPA|[s̪͆]}} and {{IPA|[z̪͆]}} and for simple dental sibilants is {{IPA|[s̟]}} and {{IPA|[z̟]}}. When a fronted lisp does not have a sibilant quality, due to lack of a grooved articulation, the IPA transcription would be {{IPA|[θ, ð]}} or variants thereof.

* A '''{{vanchor|lateral lisp}}''' occurs when the {{IPA|[s]}} and {{IPA|[z]}} sounds are produced with air-flow over the sides of the tongue. It is also called "slushy ess" or a "slushy lisp" in part due to its wet, spitty sound. The symbols for these [[lateral consonant|lateralised]] sounds in the [[extensions to the International Phonetic Alphabet]] for disordered speech are {{IPA|[ʪ]}} and {{IPA|[ʫ]}}.

* A '''{{vanchor|nasal lisp}}''' occurs when part or the entire air stream is directed through the nasal cavity. The transcription for sibilants with nasal frication in the extensions to the IPA is {{IPA|[s͋]}} and {{IPA|[z͋]}}; simple [[nasal fricative]]s are {{IPA|[s̃]}} and {{IPA|[z̃]}}.

* A '''strident lisp''' results in a high-frequency whistle or hissing sound caused by stream passing between the tongue and the hard surface. In the extensions to the IPA, whistled sibilants are transcribed {{IPA|[s͎]}} and {{IPA|[z͎]}}.

* A '''palatal lisp''' is where the speaker attempts to make a sibilant while the middle of the tongue is in contact with the soft palate,<ref name="Bowen"/> or with a posterior articulation of the sibilant. The latter may be transcribed {{IPA|[s̠]}} and {{IPA|[z̠]}}, {{IPA|[ʃ]}} and {{IPA|[ʒ]}}, or the like.<ref name="Reisman1986">{{cite book|author=John M. Reisman|title=Behavior Disorders in Infants, Children, and Adolescents|year=1986|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-0-394-35576-4}}</ref>

==Causes==

Finally there is the "palatal lisp" where the speaker attempts to make the sounds with the tongue in contact with the palate.<ref name="Bowen"/>

Successful treatments have shown that causes are functional rather than physical: that is, most lisps are caused by errors in tongue placement or density of the tongue within the mouth rather than caused by any injury or congenital or acquired deformity to the mouth. The most frequently discussed of these problems is [[tongue thrust]] in which the tongue protrudes beyond the front teeth.<ref name="Peters2004">{{cite book|vauthors = Peters M|title=BMA A-Z Family Medical Encyclopedia|date=2006-11-01|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited|isbn=1-4053-0264X|page=470}}</ref> This protrusion affects speech as well as swallowing and can lead to lisping. [[Ankyloglossia]] or tongue tie can also be responsible for lisps in children — however, it is unclear whether these deficiencies are caused by the tongue tie itself or the muscle weakness following the correction of the tongue tie.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rege |first=Vivek |title=Tongue Tie in Infants |url=http://www.pediatriconcall.com/forpatients/commonchild/HeadAndNeck/tongue_tie.asp |access-date=14 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415095352/http://www.pediatriconcall.com/forpatients/commonchild/HeadAndNeck/tongue_tie.asp |archive-date=15 April 2013 }}</ref> [[Overbite]]s and [[underbite]]s may also contribute to non lingual lisping. Temporary lisps can be caused by dental work, excess saliva, mouthguards, dental appliances such as dentures, [[dental braces]], or retainers or by swollen or bruised tongues.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

==Treatment==

Speakers of [[Latin America]]n [[Spanish language|Spanish]] often think that speakers of [[Names given to the Spanish language|Castilian Spanish]] speak with a Castilian lisp. This is because Castilians have separate phenomes /s/ and /θ/, whereas the [[seseo]] speakers in Andalucía and Latin America will pronounce both as [s]. A separate phenomenon, seen in parts of [[Andalucía]], pronounces both as [θ]; this is called [[ceceo]].

=== Frenectomy ===

The interdental lisp is actually standard in the [[Turkmen language]].

Lisps caused by [[ankyloglossia|tongue tie]] can be treated by a dentist or otolaryngologist (ENT) with a [[lingual frenectomy]], or laser incision, which takes less than 10 to 15 minutes to complete.<ref name="pmid17872781">{{cite journal | vauthors = Segal LM, Stephenson R, Dawes M, Feldman P | title = Prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of ankyloglossia: methodologic review | journal = Can Fam Physician | volume = 53 | issue = 6 | pages = 1027–33 | date = June 2007 | pmid = 17872781 | pmc = 1949218}}</ref><ref name="pmid15839394">{{cite journal | vauthors = Kupietzky A, Botzer E | title = Ankyloglossia in the infant and young child: clinical suggestions for diagnosis and management | journal = Pediatr Dent | volume = 27 | issue = 1 | pages = 40–6 | date = 2005 | pmid = 15839394}}</ref><ref name="pmid19656020">{{cite journal | vauthors = Suter VG, Bornstein MM | title = Ankyloglossia: facts and myths in diagnosis and treatment | journal = J. Periodontol. | volume = 80 | issue = 8 | pages = 1204–19 | date = August 2009 | pmid = 19656020 | doi = 10.1902/jop.2009.090086 }}</ref>

=== Speech therapy ===

Notable people that had or have lisps include:

With an interdental lisp, the therapist teaches the student how to keep the tongue behind the two front incisors.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wilson LB| title = Unlearning a lisp| journal = Parenting| volume = 13 | issue = 3 | pages = 172| date = April 1999 |url = http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/1677599/unlearning-lisp}}{{dead link|date=November 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

*[[Alcibiades]]

*[[Drew Barrymore]]

*[[Jello Biafra]]

*[[Campbell Brown]]

*[[David Carradine]]

*[[Nat King Cole]] (in his early career).{{fact}}

*[[Dolores Costello]]

*[[Alan Davies]]

*[[Dan Dierdorf]]

*[[Ric Flair]]

*[[Rudy Giuliani]]

*[[Rich Hall]]

*[[Keith Hernandez]]

*[[Thomas Jefferson]] (who preferred writing to public speaking partly because of this)

*[[Kristin Kreuk]]

*[[Josh Lewin]]

*[[Barry Manilow]]

*[[Ellen Pompeo]]

*[[Jobyna Ralston]]

*[[Rhymefest]]

*[[Romario]]

*[[Sara Rue]]

*[[Virgil Runnels, Jr.|Virgil "Dusty Rhodes" Runnels, Jr.]]

*[[Leon Schlesinger]]

*[[Chuck Schuldiner]]

*[[Shannon Sharpe]]

*[[Mike Tyson]]

*[[Barbara Walters]]

*[[Morgan Webb]]

One popular method of correcting articulation or lisp disorders is to isolate sounds and work on correcting the sound in isolation. The basic sound, or [[phoneme]], is selected as a target for treatment. Typically the position of the sound within a word is considered and targeted. The sound appears in the beginning of the word, middle, or end of the word (initial, medial, or final).

[[John Adams]] also had a lisp in his later years, but this was because he refused to wear [[dentures]].{{fact}} [[Moses]] is described as having "slow speech and a slow tongue" ([[Exodus]] 4:10), which is traditionally interpreted as a lisp, though others have believed it was a [[stuttering|stutter]] or merely hesitancy. [[Winston Churchill]] had a slight lisp, which is often incorrectly said to have been a stutter {{fact}}. [[Bryan Murray (hockey coach)|Bryan Murray]], head coach of the [[Ottawa Senators]] has a strong lisp. {{fact}}.

Take for example, correction of an "S" sound (lisp). Most likely, a speech language pathologist (SLP) would employ exercises to work on {{clarify-span|"Sssssss."|reason=No explanation; looks like the keyboard got stuck.|date=December 2022}} Starting practice words would most likely consist of "S-initial" words such as "say, sun, soap, sip, sick, said, sail." According to this protocol, the SLP slowly increases the complexity of tasks (context of pronunciations) as the production of the sound improves. Examples of increased complexity could include saying words in phrases and sentences, saying longer multi syllabic words, or increasing the [[Speech tempo|tempo]] of pronunciation.

==References==

<references/>

Using this method, the SLP achieves success with their student by targeting a sound in a phonetically consistent manner. Phonetic consistency means that a target sound is isolated at the smallest possible level (phoneme, [[Phone (phonetics)|phone]], or [[allophone]]) and that the context of production must be consistent. Consistency is critical, because factors such as the position within the word, grouping with other sounds (vowels or consonants), and the complexity all may affect production.

Another popular method for treating a lisp is using specially designed devices that go in the mouth to provide a tactile cue of exactly where the tongue should be positioned when saying the "S" sound. This tactile feedback has been shown to correct lisp errors twice as fast as traditional therapy.

Using either or both methods, the repetition of consistent contexts allows the student to align all the necessary processes required to properly produce language; language skills (ability to formulate correct sounds in the brain: What sounds do I need to make?), [[motor planning]] (voicing and jaw and tongue movements: How do I produce the sound?), and auditory processing (receptive feedback: Was the sound produced correctly? Do I need to correct?).

A student with an articulation or lisp disorder has a deficiency in one or more of these areas. To correct the deficiency, adjustments have to be made in one or more of these processes. The process to correct it is more often than not, trial and error. With so many factors, however, isolating the variables (the sound) is imperative to getting to the result faster.

A phonetically consistent treatment strategy means practicing the same thing over and over. What is practiced is consistent and does not change. The words might change, but the phoneme and its positioning is the same (say, sip, sill, soap, ...). Thus, successful correction of the disorder is found in manipulating or changing the other factors involved with speech production (tongue positioning, cerebral processing, etc.). Once a successful result (speech) is achieved, then consistent practice becomes essential to reinforcing correct productions.

When the difficult sound is mastered, the student will then learn to say the sound in syllables, then words, then phrases and then sentences. When a student can speak a whole sentence without lisping, attention is then focused on making correct sounds throughout natural conversation. Towards the end of the course of therapy, the student will be taught how to monitor his or her own speech, and how to correct as necessary. Speech therapy can sometimes fix the problem, but in some cases speech therapy fails to work.

==See also==

* [[Rhotacism (speech impediment)]], 'lisp' on the letter R

*[[Gay lisp]]

* [[StutteringGay male speech]]

* [[Speech sound disorder]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

{{Medical resources

| ICD10 = {{ICD10|F|80|8|f|80}}

| ICD9 = {{ICD9|307.9}}

}}

* [http://www.speechdisorder.co.uk/Lisps.html Beth Morrisey MLIS (25 September 2012) "Lisps", SpeechDisorder.co.uk]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120424035340/http://www.speech-language-therapy.com/~speech/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:lisp&catid=11:admin&Itemid=122 Caroline Bowen (23 November 2011) "Lisping - When /s/ and /z/ are hard to say", speech-language-therapy dot com]

{{Dyslexia and specific developmental disorders}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:LinguisticsSpeech disorders]]

[[Category:CommunicationSpecific developmental disorders]]

[[defr:LispelnSigmatisme]]