Speech IQ (Intelligent Questions)

Home
United States
New York, NY
Speech IQ (Intelligent Questions)

This page has interesting and helpful information and answers to questions you may have for any aspect of professional voice use.

I have been a licensed speech-language pathologist based in NY since 1998. My work has made me very diverse in my clientele and I have particular interest in professional voice users (public speaking, accent modification, voice & diction) . I am currently in private practice, World Class Speech Services, (sub-contracting and private clients) and I also teach on the college level in the Bronx, NY.

05/09/2025

Accents reflect regions and countries of residence or cultural seech influences. Some people pick up accents easily and frequently. Do you?

This article adds another factor, that ADHD may also help to make accent adoption easier. "According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population.""

Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.

05/01/2025

The use and curiosity around AI are on the minds and lips of almost all of us. Not only does AI touch our entertainment, it also has an inroad into our professional lives.
Each of us will be more exposed, influenced, and, possibly, reliant on AI as it develops beyond the boundaries of science and science fiction. This article talks about how languages and communication are being influenced in a reciprocal manner with AI.
Let's talk about it! Do you actively use AI? Do you talk to your AI? I ask mine the time often. I also request songs when I'm in a dancing mood. I've recently started using it for social media post edits, this one is all me. And I signed up for a free AI account recently to see if it can help me write documents, im tentative to use it fully so far.
Let me know how you use AI in your life.

Chatbots learned from human writing. Now it’s their turn to influence us.

02/01/2025

It is probably no surprise for those of us here in NY that knowing how to speak Spanish is a valuable skill.
It is also one of the 6 official languages used by translators in the UN. The other 5 being Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, and Russian.
Which of these did you learn? Are you proficient in conversation or more competent in understanding rather than speaking?
It's never too late to learn more languages or to sharpen your skills in your favorite(s)!

Spanish is heard in many different countries throughout the world, but experts predict it could replace English in this major English-speaking country.

07/29/2024

Languages naturally morph into the most useful forms of communication needed. As people adapt their language influences, new dialects are a result of that balancing act.

There was much talk about "Spanglish" over the years, and this is a similar phenomenon. Although some felt negative connotations, there is nothing "wrong" when these things happen to languages. It builds social commonalities and communities recognize neighbors.

This article is an interesting example that has been talked about before, created out of Miami Florida's (USA) speakers combined efforts.

Do you have any unique and community based sayings? Can you see a merging of two or more languages where you live?

A new dialect has been emerging from certain parts of Miami due to cultural intermingling between Spanish and English speakers.The distinct dialect is a Spanish-influenced dialect of English, born out of decades of immigration to Southern Florida from Spanish-speaking countries.Consider one of the m...

06/14/2024

Humor is a hard and precarious communicative strategy. Sometimes I am successful and other times I'm the only one giggling.

Some may find humor in the slapstick, or absurdity, or sarcasm, or blunt observations of life. Some may need a literal clown-level of humor. There are often culturally shared or promoted forms of humor. We might be surprised to learn that funny isn't funny everywhere, at least not to the same degrees. Certainly we understand that timing, delivery, intent, and context determine some of our response to humor also.

What do you find funny? Do you agree with the article on the nuances of humor internationally? Are you funny?

Our sense of humour may be social ingrained but other levels of humour cross cultural boundaries and tap into something universally human.

06/09/2024

Although this article focuses on women, I think it applies to everyone.

The social need to belong that Maslow's hierarchy of Needs discussed is true for us all. It is a driving force in social media also. Some people's boundaries are wavering so that they can connect with the world in new ways.

However, in interpersonal interactions, whether personal or professional, we may all benefit from options for boundaries that maintain our individual sanity and success, without giving away our safety, both emotionally and mentally.

What do you think? Do you use these phrases frequently?

Ever find yourself wishing people would stop taking you for granted? Wishing you knew how to set boundaries? Well, we’ve got the answer right here! We’re bringing you 10 simple phrases that can turn you into a boundary-setting superstar. These aren’t complicated or fancy – just plain, straig...

06/01/2024

Thinking about how cultural and ethnic group titles and terminology change over time.

It is necessary for the members of the group to confirm their acceptance of the updated title before we widely refer to them as such. Usually there is no complete acceptance, due to generational differences and preferences.

Do you belong to a cultural or ethnic group that has historically had significant title changes in your lifetime? How has that made you feel? Do you have a preference?

New terms — like LatinX — are often pushed by activists to promote a more equitable world. But linguist John McWhorter says trying to enforce new words to speed up social change tends to backfire.

05/22/2024

Yes!! Maximize your opportunities to practice and enrich your speech and language skills all over the world!

👂🏽Where's the last place you've traveled that made you use a different language? Did you know that language? Did you use a translation app to help you communicate more effectively? 🦻🏽

Flex you speech muscles!! 👄💪🏾

Our speech patterns can change with remarkable speed—if we want them to.

05/05/2024

I love accents and it's one of my specialty areas in speech consulting.

Everyone has an accent, it is basically a style of speech pattern. BUT that is in comparison to another's style of speech, right?

Either way, I would answer YES, there is such a thing as an Asian-American accent EXCEPT the term Asian covers so many countries that it is more a collection of accents (plural). Like Caribbean or European accentS.

What do you think?

Linguists share their take on Asian American speech patterns as the existence of an “Asian American” accent sparks a debate.

03/26/2024

The speed of speech is variable from language to language, person to person, and occasion by occasion. It is not surprising that Japanese has been found to be fastest.

Do you know any Japanese, or any of the top 3 fastest languages?

A few studies have asked this question and come to the same answer.

Address

New York, NY

Telephone

+19177150764

Website

http://www.wcspeech.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Speech IQ (Intelligent Questions) posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Speech IQ (Intelligent Questions):

Featured

Franco Spoto Vocal Studio
520 8th Avenue, 17th Floor

Want your school to be the top-listed school/college in New York?