<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">In some recent talks, I have hypothesized that stuttering might be rare in sign language because there is a weak link between visual feedback and sign production. Some theories of stuttering hypothesize a disruption between auditory feedback and speech production. Also, delayed auditory feedback can cause stuttering and can sometimes improve symptoms in stutterers. So I've been following the anecdotes to see whether I could rule out sign stuttering due to late learning or as an effect that carries over from speech in hearing signers. So I guess we have an interesting result either way. If stuttering turns out to be as common in signers as in speakers, then this suggests that stuttering is indeed a language disorder. On the other hand, if stuttering turns out to be rare in sign language, this supports my hypothesis that visual feedback is not strongly linked to language output, compared to spoken language.<BR><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Karen Emmorey</DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>*****************************************</DIV><DIV>Dr. Karen Emmorey</DIV><DIV>Professor, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences</DIV><DIV>San Diego State University</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Director, Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Neuroscience</DIV><DIV>6495 Alvarado Road, Suite 200</DIV><DIV>San Diego, CA 92120</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Office (voice); (619) 594-8080</DIV><DIV>Lab (voice): (619) 594-8049</DIV><DIV>Fax: (619) 594-8056</DIV><DIV>email: <A href="mailto:kemmorey@mail.sdsu.edu">kemmorey@mail.sdsu.edu</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Lab website: <A href="http://emmoreylab.sdsu.edu">http://emmoreylab.sdsu.edu</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>