The communicative intent of stuttered utterances

Authors

  • Courtney Timpson Byrd The University of Texas at Austin
  • Geoff Coalson The University of Texas at Austin
  • Clara Bush The University of Texas at Austin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jircd.v1i2.253

Keywords:

Stuttering, Communicative Intent, Assertive, Responsive, Child

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to determine if reported differences in speech fluency between assertive versus responsive speech acts persist when the length and complexity of those acts are controlled for and (2) to explore disfluent speech production across the subtypes of speech acts that comprise the two broad speech act categories of assertive and responsive. Child utterances were coded for communicative intent using Fey’s taxonomy (1986) and for length and complexity. Results revealed that when grouping speech acts into assertive versus responsive, it is the length and complexity, rather than the communicative intent of the utterance that contributes to disfluent speech. Findings also reveal there are specific speech act subtypes that do not differ in complexity, but do differ in amount of speech disfluency. Thus, the communicative intent of the utterance does appear to contribute, at least, in part to difficulties maintaining fluent speech.

Author Biographies

  • Courtney Timpson Byrd, The University of Texas at Austin

    Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Director, Austin Center for Stuttering Intervention and Research

  • Geoff Coalson, The University of Texas at Austin

    Doctoral Student, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

  • Clara Bush, The University of Texas at Austin

    Masters Student, The University of Texas at Austin

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Published

2011-01-25

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Byrd, C. T., Coalson, G., & Bush, C. (2011). The communicative intent of stuttered utterances. Journal of Interactional Research in Communication Disorders, 1(2), 253-275. https://doi.org/10.1558/jircd.v1i2.253

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