Whispering is an unvoiced mode of phonation in which the vocal folds (also known as vocal cords) do not vibrate normally but are instead adducted sufficiently to create audible turbulence (a 'hissing' quality) as the speaker exhales (or occasionally inhales) during speech.[1] This is a somewhat greater adduction than that found in breathy voice. Articulation remains the same as in normal speech.
In normal speech, the vocal folds alternate between states of voice and voicelessness. In whispering, only the voicing changes, so that the vocal folds alternate between whisper and voicelessness (though the acoustic difference between the two states is minimal).[2] Because of this circumstance, there is currently no known possibility to use speech recognition successfully on a whispering person, as the characteristic spectral range needed to detect syllables and words is not given through the total absence of tone.[3][4]
In normal speech, the vocal folds alternate between states of voice and voicelessness. In whispering, only the voicing changes, so that the vocal folds alternate between whisper and voicelessness (though the acoustic difference between the two states is minimal).[2] Because of this circumstance, there is currently no known possibility to use speech recognition successfully on a whispering person, as the characteristic spectral range needed to detect syllables and words is not given through the total absence of tone.[3][4]
