Sociolinguistic Investigation into Stuttering Identity

Y. Charlie Watanabe¹, Patricia M. Zebrowski², and Richard Hurtig^2
1Nanzan University, 27 Seirei-cho, Seto City, 489-0863, Japan
²Iowa University, 119 WJSHC, Iowa city, IA 52242, USA

SUMMARY

Taking seriously the idea that the social aspect plays an important part in the problem of stuttering, this study uses sociolinguistic discourse analysis to bring into relief discursive practices of a person who stutters (S) and his nonstuttering spouse (NS). Aparticular focus is placed on how the participants negotiate the attribution of a problematic characteristic in the stuttering spouse’s interactional behavior. The analysis showed that NS is required to carry out delicate interactional management due to a blurry distinction between S’s personality trait and his network trait. Usefulness of sociolinguistic discourse analysis in stuttering research is also suggested.

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