Biomaterial Database

A preliminary investigation of the impact of stuttering on language use. 2005

Elizabeth Spencer, and Ann Packman, and Mark Onslow, and Alison Ferguson

Australian Stuttering Research Centre, The University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe NSW 1825, Australia. Elizabeth.Spencer@newcastle.edu.au

This paper reflects on the application of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to the field of stuttering. It is argued that the SFL theory may offer insight into the impact that stuttering has on language use. Two case studies are presented to illustrate the application of SFL theory. The two SFL analyses found to be of most use in this pilot study were the analysis of how language is modulated in response to interpersonal aspects of communication (modality) and the analysis of how information is foregrounded (theme). The implications of applying the SFL model to consideration of the utilisation of language resources in people who stutter are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007802	Language	A verbal or nonverbal means of communicating ideas or feelings.	Dialect,Dialects,Languages
D008037	Linguistics	The science of language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and historical linguistics. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Linguistic
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D013342	Stuttering	A disturbance in the normal fluency and time patterning of speech that is inappropriate for the individual's age. This disturbance is characterized by frequent repetitions or prolongations of sounds or syllables. Various other types of speech dysfluencies may also be involved including interjections, broken words, audible or silent blocking, circumlocutions, words produced with an excess of physical tension, and monosyllabic whole word repetitions. Stuttering may occur as a developmental condition in childhood or as an acquired disorder which may be associated with BRAIN INFARCTIONS and other BRAIN DISEASES. (From DSM-IV, 1994)	Stammering,Stuttering, Acquired,Stuttering, Adult,Stuttering, Childhood,Stuttering, Developmental,Stuttering, Familial Persistent 1,Acquired Stuttering,Adult Stuttering,Childhood Stuttering,Developmental Stuttering
D014705	Verbal Behavior	Includes both producing and responding to words, either written or spoken.	Behavior, Verbal,Behaviors, Verbal,Verbal Behaviors