subvocalize

Subvocalize, or subvocalization, refers to the silent articulation of speech, using the same articulatory muscles (tongue, lips, larynx) without producing audible voice. It is commonly described as inner speech or silent speech and can occur during thinking, reading, rehearsing information, or planning speech.

In reading and cognition, subvocalization provides a phonological representation of words, supporting lexical access and encoding in working memory, especially for unfamiliar or complex material. It can influence reading rate because forming subvocal speech takes time; many readers naturally subvocalize when reading in their heads. Methods to study subvocalization include electromyography of speech muscles, tongue ultrasound, and neuroimaging.

Research and debates: There is ongoing discussion about how essential subvocalization is to comprehension. Some speed-reading approaches claim it should be minimized to increase speed, but studies show that reducing subvocalization may not improve understanding and can hinder memory for information that benefits from phonological coding.

In related fields, subvocalization is studied in psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, and neurolinguistics. It is also discussed in the context of inner speech and its role in self-regulation, planning, and certain clinical conditions such as experiences of auditory verbal imagery.