Speech Banana
An informal term for the banana-shaped region on an audiogram where the frequencies and intensities of conversational speech sounds fall, used as a visual reference in hearing aid counselling and pediatric audiology.
Full Definition
The speech banana is a colloquial but clinically established term referring to the area on a standard audiogram — roughly spanning 250 to 8000 Hz and 20 to 60 dB HL — within which the phonemes of conversational speech are plotted. Its characteristic banana shape arises from the varying intensity and frequency distribution of speech sounds. Audiologists use it as a counselling tool to demonstrate which speech sounds a patient can or cannot hear. Editors should treat it as an accepted informal term in patient-facing or pediatric literature but may need to clarify it or substitute a more formal descriptor ('the conversational speech range') in academic or regulatory documents. It should not be capitalised.
Usage
Usage note: Lowercase. Acceptable in patient-facing and pediatric literature; consider a more formal descriptor in academic and regulatory documents.
In Context
- "The audiologist showed the parents an audiogram with the speech banana overlaid to illustrate which consonants their child was missing." — Pediatric hearing aid counselling notes
- "In academic submissions, consider replacing 'speech banana' with 'conversational speech frequency and intensity range' unless the informal term is explicitly contextualised." — Editorial style recommendation