What is spectrogram analysis used for in speech science?

• A. Measuring lung capacity
• B. To visualize the frequency, intensity, and duration of speech sounds
• C. Evaluating speech fluency
• D. Determining speech volume levels

Answer: (B)

Spectrogram analysis provides a time-frequency-energy view of speech, showing how the frequency content of the spoken signal changes over time and how loud those components are. This visualization lets you see the frequency content (what pitches or harmonics are present), the intensity (how strong those components are), and the duration of sounds (how long they last) all in one picture. That makes it ideal for examining speech sounds, such as identifying formant patterns in vowels and tracking rapid spectral changes in consonants. It’s not meant to measure lung capacity, which is a respiratory function, nor is it the primary tool for judging fluency, which concerns rhythm and smoothness. While it displays energy distribution, determining absolute speech volume levels typically relies on direct amplitude measurements rather than the spectrogram alone.