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How does lipreading use facial expressions as well as lip movements?
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audiology
Learn about the audiology department of the Center for Audiology, Speech, Language, and Learning, a nonprofit clinic at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
In the field of audiology, lipreadingāalso known as speechreadingāis defined as the process of interpreting speech by observing a speaker's lip and facial movements in the absence of auditory input.12
While the term emphasizes the lips, the practice relies on a broader range of visual cues. Facial expressions provide essential context, emotional tone, and emphasis that help the observer decode the speaker's intent and distinguish between words that may appear similar on the lips alone. By integrating these movements with the shape and motion of the mouth, the observer can more accurately reconstruct the spoken message.1