Stuttering Terminology

1. Fluency - a) smoothness with which sounds, syllables, words, and phrases are joined together during oral language; lack of hesitations or repetitions in speaking; b) smooth easy speech.
2. Disfluency - a) any type of speech which is characterized by repetitions, prolongations, or hesitations; b) an interruption in the flow of speech sounds.
3. Stuttering - a type of disfluency characterized by one or more of the following: (1) audible or silent blocking; (2) sound and syllable repetitions; (3) sound prolongations; (4) broken words; or (5) words produced with an excess of tension.
4. Whole-word repetition - type of disfluency characterized by repeating whole words (e.g., ball-ball).
5. Part-word repetition - type of disfluency characterized by repeating part of a word, usually the first sound or syllable (e.g., b-b-ball).
6. Prolongation - type of disfluency characterized by prolonging a sound (e.g., shshshoe).
7. Block - type of disfluency characterized by an inaudible stoppage of the speech flow.
8. Broken word - word that is produced in distinct parts because of a disruption in fluency (e.g., mo - pause - ther).
9. Phrase repetition - type of disfluency characterized by the repetition of two or more words (e.g., I want, I want).
10. Interjection - a word or phrase that interrupts the flow of speech (e.g., well, uh, you know, like).
11. Circumlocution - use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea; evasion in speech (e.g., the thing you carry in rain, instead of umbrella).
12. Schwa vowel - the neutralization (uh) that occurs on vowels in the more severe part- word repetitions (e.g., buh-buh-boat instead of boa-boa-boat).
13. Secondary characteristics - associated behaviors that may accompany the primary speech characteristics, often used to help the stutterer re-establish fluency (e.g., eye blinks, facial grimacing, etc.).
14. Struggle behaviors - visible or audible signs of effort that accompany the primary speech characteristics.
15. Rate - how fast a person talks; can be expressed in words per minute (wpm) or syllables per minute (spm).

If you have questions or need more information you can contact us at:

Overton Speech & Language Center, Inc.
4763 Barwick Drive, Suite 103
Fort Worth, TX 76132
(817) 294-8408

info@overtonspeech.net

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Last revised: March 24, 2003