Reviews a decade of rehabilitation literature which calls attention to imprecise, stereotypical, and devaluing language that is often used to discuss people with disabilities and offers more appropriate alternatives. Brings attention to these issues because professional counselors sometimes commit these language abuses, and counselors of all…

This article provides a review of the literature regarding changing communication profiles of individuals with autism as they reach adolescence and young adulthood. The impact of these language patterns on social and vocational functioning is addressed. Guidelines for assessment, goal development, and intervention are presented through a…

This paper describes a study of a speech community, a group of approximately 10 women, aged 25 to 65, who met at least 3 times a month to knit, drink coffee, and chat. The paper notes that knitting circles have survived through history because they serve a social function that surpasses historical events--they are communities that co-construct the…

Like legal language, medical language is a private language, a separate stratum containing some words specially defined for medical purposes, some existing only in the medical vocabulary, and some adding precision or solemnity. These characteristics often cause a breakdown in patient-doctor communication. Analysis of data obtained from prototype…

The language of twins allows researchers in language development to examine acquisition in a unique environment. Researchers investigating the nature-nurture controversy, the order of acquisition, and other linguistic features find the twin situation particularly interesting because of the children's shared genetic makeup and environment. A…

Analysis of the speech of the people of Santa Maria Lachixio, a Zapotec town in Mexico shows they use a high voice to show respect toward others, and that variability in the height of pitch is unimportant. No other voice quality changes occur, such as laryngealization or breathiness. Kinship, age, and authority are important determiners of high…