What type of speech disorder is characterized by the inability to translate conscious speech plans into motor actions?

The type of speech disorder characterized by the inability to translate conscious speech plans into motor actions is apraxia. This condition affects the neural pathways involved in planning and executing the movements required for speech, leading to difficulties in coordinating the precise movements necessary for articulation. Individuals with apraxia may know what they want to say and may have the words in mind, but experience challenges in producing those sounds accurately and fluently.

In contrast, a fluency disorder involves disruptions in the flow of speech, such as stuttering, which is not related to the planning or execution of speech movements. Language disorders affect a person's ability to understand or produce language but do not specifically impair the motor aspects of speech. Articulation disorders refer to difficulties with the production of specific sounds, often stemming from issues with the actual articulation of phonemes, rather than planning and executing speech motions. Thus, apraxia stands out as the disorder specifically linked to the translation of speech plans into motor actions.