AW: [SLLING-L] stuttering in signed languages

Sun Oct 28 10:40:17 UTC 2007

Excuse me, in my last email there was a detail missing under (a): Please select the following corrected version:

The anecdotes go inline with the hypothesis that stuttering relies on a decelerated articulation planning/a speech timing problem (Van Riper, 1982). This is supported by recent brain studies on hearing stutterers that showed

(a) a decreased white matter tract/fiber coherence alobg the left rolandic operculum
(b) additional activation of the right frontal operculum

when they were contrasted with hearing non-stutterers (Sommer et al., 2002; Büchel & Sommer, 2004). These results were interpreted in terms of a slowed articulation planning due to a less developed connectivity between language and articulation areas which is compensated by the right frontal operculum ("disturbed signal transmission through fibers passing the left rolandic operculum impairs the fast sensorimotor integration necessary for fluent speech production", B&S 2004). Neumann et al. (2003) confirmed this data and showed, that the right hemispere is activated particularly during fluent speech phases in stutterers maybe revealing successful compensation of the deficit due to activation of this brain structure.

I think it would be interesting to examine deaf stutterers the same way and especially take a look at the interconnection between language and sign articulation areas as well as the right hemisphere.

Lit.:

Büchel C, Sommer M. What causes stuttering? PLoS Biol 2004;2 (2):159-163 (e46).

Neumann K, Euler HA, Gudenberg AW, Giraud AL, Lanfermann H, et al. The nature and treatment of

          stuttering as revealed by fMRI: A within- and between-group comparison. J Fluency Disord. 2003;28:381–410.

Sommer M, Koch MA, Paulus W, Weiller C, Buechel C. A disconnection of speech-relevant brain areas in

          developmental stuttering. Lancet. 2002;60:380–383.

Van Riper, C. The nature of stuttering. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall; 1982. 468 pp.

Juliane Klann.

*********************************************
Juliane Klann, M.A.
Neurolinguistics
Dept. of Neurology
RWTH Aachen University
University Hospital
Pauwelsstr. 30
D- 52074 Aachen - Germany

Phone: +49- 241- 80 89877
Fax:      +49- 241- 80 82598
E-mail: jklann at ukaachen.de<mailto:jklann at ukaachen.de>
________________________________
Von: slling-l-bounces at majordomo.valenciacc.edu [slling-l-bounces at majordomo.valenciacc.edu] im Auftrag von Karen Emmorey [kemmorey at mail.sdsu.edu]
Gesendet: Freitag, 26. Oktober 2007 17:06
An: A list for linguists interested in signed languages
Betreff: Re: [SLLING-L] stuttering in signed languages

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.

Karen Emmorey

*****************************************
Dr. Karen Emmorey
Professor, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
San Diego State University

Director, Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Neuroscience
6495 Alvarado Road, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92120

Office (voice); (619) 594-8080
Lab (voice): (619) 594-8049
Fax: (619) 594-8056
email: kemmorey at mail.sdsu.edu<mailto:kemmorey at mail.sdsu.edu>

Lab website:  http://emmoreylab.sdsu.edu

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