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.
With thanks to Deepthought for the link to the TA book.
I was meant to be getting ready to go out but got caught up in this (no surprise there).
I've read some of the pertinent section and will go back to it later.
However, here is a taste of what I remember from many years ago:
Hans Asperger eloquently described an unusual profile of language abilities that
included problems with conversation skills, the ‘melody’ or flow of speech, and an
unusual developmental history for language such as the early or late development of
speech. He also described a tendency for some young children to talk like an adult with
an advanced vocabulary and to use quite complex sentences.
The child may develop an impressive vocabulary that includes technical
terms (often related to a special interest) and expressions more often associated with the
speech of an adult than a child. The child can sometimes speak like a ‘little professor’
and entrance someone with a well-practised monologue on a favourite topic. However,
when this characteristic occurs in an adolescent it can be a contributory factor for social
exclusion.
The child’s articulation can be age appropriate but can be unusual in being almost
over-precise. The word may be pronounced as it is written rather than spoken: the child
learned language more by reading than from listening. There may be stress on specific
syllables that changes the expected pronunciation. I have observed that for some young
children with Asperger’s syndrome, the development of language appears to rely less on
conversation with family and peers and more on what is absorbed from television
programmes and films. Often the young child with Asperger’s syndrome pronounces the
word with the accent of the person whom he or she heard first say the word.
Thisexplains the tendency for some young children with Asperger’s syndrome in the United
Kingdom and Australia to speak with an American accent. Their vocabulary and pro-
nunciation of words was developed by watching television rather than talking to people
and especially by watching cartoons and films that use American actors and voices. This
characteristic can be quite conspicuous when other family members have the local
accent, but the child with Asperger’s syndrome talks as though he or she is a foreigner