When a person has hyponasality, they are often which of the following?

Hyponasality refers to a condition where there is insufficient nasal resonance in speech, often caused by blockage or obstructions in the nasal passages, such as due to allergies or anatomical abnormalities. Individuals who experience hyponasality may struggle to appropriately use nasal sounds like /m/, /n/, and /ŋ/, leading to a speech quality that sounds "stuffy" or "blocked."

A common adaptation for those with hyponasality is to breathe through the mouth, especially when nasal passages are obstructed. This mouth breathing can contribute to a further lack of nasal resonance and may exacerbate the speech characteristics associated with hyponasality. Therefore, being a mouth breather is directly linked to the symptoms of hyponasality.

In contrast, whispering, being nasally voiced, or generally vocalizing without specific reference to breath patterns do not provide a direct correlation to the condition of hyponasality. Whispering does not typically relate to any issues with nasal sound production, and a nasally voiced quality is contrary to the premise of hyponasality, which is characterized by reduced nasal resonance. Thus, the characteristic of being a mouth breather aligns well with the condition of hyponasality.