Published on 12, July, 2020
This thread is the result of a discussion with Out of Step but also something I've been thinking about this past year, since diagnosis.
Years ago, when my friend was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, as was, I skim read some of his book: The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood.
One section resonated.
I can't check out the wording now as I don't own it but it was about how autistic people may not speak as non autistic people do and may not use the language commonly used by their peers.
They may, for example, use what used to be called 'BBC English' as my mother did and I do, despite being working class and having gone to working class schools.
We didn't pick up a local accent.
However, some people may pick up the accent but be fascinated by words and use uncommon words.
Also, when I was at school I used words no-one knew the meaning of.
I did actually use a dictionary a lot when I was reading and learnt these more unusual words (and mispronounced them, as I still do) so that's probably part of the reason why.
My mother also used words I'd never heard anyone else use and said that when she was young she would read the dictionary.
She also constantly used the old sayings and phrases (eg a stitch in time saves nine) and I find my speech peppered with these phrases and anachronistic words.
I think that this difference also extends to speech patterns.
Anyone else experience similar and have any knowledge about this to add?
Thanks.
I once got the word 'involuted' into a scientific paper, I was hugely pleased.
In my field of expertise, I quite often introduce a made-up term when talking to other "professionals" to see if any of them actually have sufficient faith in their own competencies to challenge me on it. I'm sad to say that, most of the time, they are not !
As an undergrad, I was being taught cell biology and especially the very many organelles (subcellular structures) and their sometimes strange names - nucleolus, mitochondrion, Golgi body, endoplasmic reticulum etc.. With a friend, I invented a fictitious organelle, the 'periclentious fendument'. It spawned more terms, such as pendiphlabatic and di-pendiphlabatic neulones.
We used to have long conversations on 'Fendumentology' in pubs and the union bar. We had lots of invented terms to use, Canortic body, ristor-valve, canistration etc. - even a mathematical model for the canistration and decanistration process - we got lots of strange looks from other people, which was partly the point.
Beautiful !
Social manipulation / exploitation of stupidity / timidity at de minimis malignancy.
I salute you and your friend.