Stuttering, Lisping and The Drawl
Stuttering
Most afflictions, such as stuttering and stammering, are caused by nervousness. Over-anxious to pronounce his words, the speaker becomes tense. Hurry and nervousness do not allow the vocal muscles perfect coordination. Rigidness of the diaphragm as well as the throat and tongue will cause a stammer or stutter.
Any remedy will be gradual. Concentration, practice, and relaxation will, in the majority of cases, completely eradicate a stutter or stammer. Since tenseness and hurry are the root of the trouble, relaxation and slowing down of all speech will prove most helpful. A phrase should be sung, slowly, all on one tone; vowels should be prolonged in every word; consonants uttered with little or no emphasis. Continual and careful practice in this manner will, in most cases, allay whatever nervous tendency may lie at the root of the evil. The habit of slow, singing speech, with prolonged vowels in mind, will rid the stutterer of his fear, and the resultant relaxation will mean the end of the unfortunate habit.
Lisping
A lisp is the result of the tip of the tongue entering between the teeth on the pronunciation of the letter "s." This may be caused by malformation of the teeth, such as prominent upper teeth, a wide gap between the front teeth, or ill-fitting false teeth. The habit can usually be cured, however, if the speaker will hold the upper and lower teeth tightly on edge while pronouncing the offending "s." After sufficient practice the lisp will be cured and the mouth may be relaxed without harm.
The Drawl
This may be an affectation, part of a regional dialect, or simply disinterest and laziness. A slow, rather deliberate, easy manner of delivery may be attractive if it is not overdone. But vowels must not be unduly prolonged nor broken up to sound as two. Some drawls are nasal, which tone must be avoided by relaxation of the mouth and jaw, and placement above the nose, not in it. Some result in a blurred enunciation; remedies for this are given further on in this section.