In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the one word which is the best substitute for the given phrase: “Speaking with a stammer or lisp, that is, speech marked by repeated or prolonged sounds or difficulty in pronouncing certain consonants.”

Introduction / Context:
This question tests vocabulary related to speech patterns and one word substitutions. Competitive examinations often include such items to check a candidate knowledge of precise terms that replace longer descriptive phrases. Here, we are dealing with a phrase that describes a way of speaking that involves a stammer or a lisp. The correct answer should match this description in simple and widely understood English.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase to be replaced is “speaking with a stammer or lisp”.
• Four options are given, three of which use rare Latin based formations, and one common English term.
• The task is to select the one word that best captures the idea of disfluent speech with repetitions or sound distortions.
• We assume current standard usage in exams and general communication.

Concept / Approach:
A “stammer” or “stutter” refers to a speech disorder where sounds, syllables, or words are repeated or prolonged, and normal flow of speech is interrupted. A “lisp” refers to a difficulty in pronouncing s or z sounds, often sounding like th. The common noun and verb that describes such disfluent speech is “stuttering” or “to stutter”, especially in everyday and examination oriented English. The other given options resemble obscure or pseudo technical Latin based words and do not commonly appear in standard dictionaries as the normal term for this behaviour. Therefore, we must choose the familiar word that directly corresponds to the phrase in the question.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by trying to rephrase the sentence. For example, “The child speaks with a stammer or lisp” can be rewritten as “The child has a problem of stuttering in speech”. This preserves the idea of disfluent speech with repetitions and sound difficulties. In contrast, if we use “Melliloquent”, which suggests sweet or honeyed speech, the meaning changes completely. Likewise, “Dentiloquent” would suggest speaking through teeth, and “Fatiloquent” might suggest prophetic speech, none of which capture stammering or lisping. This comparison confirms that “Stuttering” is the correct substitute.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A: “Melliloquent” would literally suggest speaking in a smooth, sweet, or honeyed manner, which is almost opposite to stammering or lisping.
• Option B: “Dentiloquent” suggests speaking with teeth prominent or emphasised, not a recognised term for stammering in common usage.
• Option C: “Fatiloquent” would relate to prophetic or fate telling speech, not to any speech defect.

Common Pitfalls:
In one word substitution questions, candidates sometimes feel attracted to rare looking words, assuming that the most unusual option must be correct. This is a trap. Examinations typically use words that actually appear in good dictionaries and advanced reading material. When the phrase describes a very common phenomenon like a stutter, the answer is much more likely to be a familiar word than a mysterious one. A good strategy is to focus on exact meaning and discard all options that do not clearly match it, regardless of how impressive they look.

Final Answer:
The best one word substitute for “speaking with a stammer or lisp” is “Stuttering”.