Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

Which muscle primarily contracts when producing the voiceless fricative /f/?

1. Lateral cricoarytenoid

2. Transverse interarytenoid

3. Oblique interarytenoid

4. Posterior cricoarytenoid

The correct answer is: Posterior cricoarytenoid

When producing the voiceless fricative /f/, the muscle that primarily contracts is the posterior cricoarytenoid. This muscle plays a crucial role in the abduction of the vocal folds, which is necessary for respiratory airflow. While the vocal folds are not vibrating during the production of voiceless sounds, having them open allows for the airflow needed to create the fricative sound. Fricatives, such as /f/, are produced by forcing air through a narrow constriction in the vocal tract, which creates turbulence. In the case of /f/, the air passes between the lower lip and the upper teeth. The proper positioning of the vocal folds, facilitated by the action of the posterior cricoarytenoid, ensures that the vocal tract is clear for this airflow. The other muscles mentioned are more involved in the control and adduction of the vocal folds, which is not necessary for voiceless sounds like /f/. Understanding the role of the posterior cricoarytenoid in producing voiceless fricatives helps clarify how important vocal fold positioning is for different speech sounds.