Comparison of Exchange Patterns of Stuttering In Spanish and English Monolingual Speakers and a Bilingual Spanish-English Speaker

P. Howell, L. Ruffle, A. Fernandez-Zuniga, R. Gutierrez, A.H. Fernandez, M.L. O’Brien, M. Tarasco, I. Vallejo Gomez & J. Au-Yeung
University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H OAP

SUMMARY

Samples of the spontaneous speech of monolingual Spanish speakers who stutter of different ages and a Spanish-English bilingual speaker who stutters were analyzed. The patterns of stuttering in these samples were examined to establish how they compare to those reported to occur for English. The characteristics examined for the monolingual speakers were the difference in stuttering rate on function and content words over ages (Howell, Au-Yeung & Sackin’s 1999 exchange relations). Young Spanish speakers showed a higher rate of function than content words whereas older speakers showed less of a difference (as reported previously for English). Stuttering rates on function and content words in the two languages of a bilingual speaker were examined. The speaker showed a more adult-like pattern in his dominant language (Spanish) but a more child- like pattern in his second language (English). The results are discussed in terms of the implications for theory, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder.

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