The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-01-10
why PEOPLE STAMM|VER
Tongues stumble Over Words Becanse
Brains Forget How they Sound

0Ed&k1A0 r OG8OU 11OvW AAs01 ASSs~AANeee
Stammering and suffering have. in
the past, been studied almost exclu-
sively in their physical manifestations
but, as matter of fact. the psyche
logical side is far more important.
The real defect lies not in the vocal
cords, but in tho mind OF the stam-
merer.
The stammerer's difficulty about the
vowel is not purely physiological He
halts at the vowel because he cannot
produce the vowel-colOr or vowel
quality. The real difficulty is that
he Is afflicted with transient auditory
amenesia, or momentary forgetting OF
the sound that he wishes to produce.
He is unable, for the instant. to recall
the sound-image Of the vowel that he
wishes to enunciate.
The Stammerer is an "auditO-mO-
teur." He relies for his speech-cues
upon muscular and auditory images
When he stammers in enunciatlng
word it is because there is complete
failure of the auditory image. His fu-
tile struggles with the initial conso-
nant are directed solely by his mus
cular (kinaesthetic) imagery, but he
cannot pass on to the vowel because
he cannot recall it's sound. its pecu-
liar or characteristic Quality-fn
short, the vowel-color.
When he attempts to speak the
word ten, he produces the st. entire
ly by feeling; but he cannot mentally
hear the sound "e," and is hence un-
might be diagrammed as follows:
TN, with the capitals representing
muscular images or articulatOry
movements, and the hyphen repre-
senting a mental hiatus or gap.
Many stammerers have an auditory
image of the entire word, but SO long
as the image fails to appear during
speech stammering must inevitably
result. 1t is, however. primarily the
failure of the auditory vowel image
that occasions the stammerer's diff
Guilty, for the auditory impression of
the consonant is generally supplied by
the actual stammering.
In severe cases of stammering it
quite frequently happens that the
speaker, after fearful struggle with q
word, gives utterance to an entirely
inappropriate vowel. This fact shows
that the conditions affecting vowel
image are abnormal. Through de-
fective internal hearing the wrong au-
ditory vowel image is invoked and the
vowel is pronounced muscularly.
The most difficult vowels for the
that are least definite and tangible in
their coloration. For this reason
stammering occurs with far greater
frequency on the short vowels than it
does on the long vowels. The stam-
merer is less likely to have trouble
with the word light than with the
word lit. The long ''i'' is more def
mite and substantial, and the mind can
recall it better. The long vowels are
found to have more definite tone COL
or as they fall upon the ear. and the
distinction is even more marked as
they are recalled in auditory imagery
The ability OF the stammerer (and
sometimes of the aphasic patient who
has lost all memory OF words) to sing
is readily explained by the greater
tangibility of the auditory image in
singing. As the long vowel is more
tangible than the short, SO the musi-
cal tone is more tangible than either.
In attempting to cure the stammer-
er. much time has been wasted in So
called Evolutionary training. Vocal
exercises have a certain value, but
more for their psychological than their
elocutionary effect. The exercises
exert favorable Influence through
suggestion when the stammerer has
confidence in their therapeutic power;
move such secondary causes as fear.
bewilderment and inhibitive auto-sug-
gestiOn, or the idea, IT can't pro-
nounce." The auditory images may
be sharpened by this daily practice,
but this is apt to be only a temporary
effect.
During childhood, when secondary
causes have not yet supervened, stam-
mering usually yields readily to the
rational treatment. The child need
intelligent mother can usually accom-
plish all that Is possible for stam-
mering child IL, instead of supinely
waiting for him to "outgrow the diff
ficulty, she will undertake to combat
the impediment.
In the first place the child himself
must be induced to strive for fluency
in speech. He must be offered a SUBJ
stantial and much-coveted reward for
| ultimate victory. and must be helped
at every stage. He must be checked
quietly and gently each time he stam-
mers. He must be made to wait and
reflect upon the words he is about to
| use-and to utter these words slowly
and with composure. II he then
speaks fluently he should be made to
gain assurance.
| The child should be made to feel
that. though It il not reprehensible
to stammer. it is nevertheless highly
commendable to speak fluent1y- He
should never be laughed at. scolded
or punished for his impediments; for
with such treatment fear soon asso-
cfates itself with speech. He should
| never be mtmicked. and for this reas-
on and q hundred, others should be
kept from school till the impeachment
has disappeared.
If much amneeia seems to be pres
emit the child should be told to think.
during speech, how his words are 60
ing TO sound. II physical stammerfns
is in evidence he should be taught to
fnhale before speaking and to speak
ut all times without effort.
II mothers would adopt these simple