Give Janina a break! We are judging her as if we are so fluent in English and don’t make mistakes ever! Let’s just say she has a speech problem and needs to be seen by a speech pathologist.
Normal speech may seem effortless, but it's actually a complex process that requires precise timing, nerve, and muscle control. When we speak, we must coordinate many muscles from various body parts and systems, including the larynx, which contains the vocal cords; the teeth, lips, tongue, and mouth; and the respiratory system. Producing speech and understanding the language is then coordinated in the brain.
Some people with speech problems, particularly articulation disorders, may have hearing problems. Even mild hearing loss may have an impact on how a person reproduces the sounds they hear. Certain birth defects, such as a cleft palate, can interfere with someone's ability to produce speech. When a person has a cleft palate there is a hole in the roof of the mouth, which affects the movement of air through the oral and nasal passages. There also may be problems with other structures needed for speech, including the lips, teeth, and jaw. A person with brain damage from an accident or stroke may also have speech and language problems.
Genetics may also play a role in some speech problems. For example, stuttering seems to run in some families. But in some cases, no one knows exactly what causes a person to have speech problems.
Some common speech disorders are:
Stuttering is a problem that interferes with fluent speech. A person who stutters may repeat the first part of a word (as in “wa-wa-wa-water”) or hold a single sound for a long time (as in ‘caaaaaaake’). Some people who stutter have trouble getting sounds out altogether. Stuttering is complex, and it can affect speech in many different ways.
Cluttering is another problem that makes a person's speech difficult to understand. Like stuttering, cluttering affects the fluency, or flow, of a person's speech. However, the difference is that cluttering is a language disorder, while stuttering is a speech disorder. A person who stutters has trouble getting out what they want to say, and a person who clutters says what they are thinking, but it becomes disorganized while actually speaking. Because of this disorganization, someone who clutters may speak in bursts or pause in unexpected places. The rhythm of cluttered speech may sound jerky, rather than smooth, and the speaker is often unaware of the problem.
Articulation disorders encompass a wide range of errors people can make when talking. Substituting a "w" for an "r" ("wabbit" for "rabbit"), omitting sounds ("cool" for "school"), or adding sounds to words ("pinanio" for "piano") are examples of articulation errors. Lisping refers to specific substitution involving the letters "s" and "z." A person who lisps replaces those sounds with "th."
Apraxia (dyspraxia), also known as oral-motor speech disorder, is a problem with motor coordination or motor planning. A person with this speech problem has difficulty moving the muscles and structures necessary to form speech sounds into words.
Only people with speech problems know how frustrating it can be. People who stutter, for example, often complain that others try to finish their sentences or fill in words for them. Some feel like people treat them as if they're stupid, especially when a listener says things like "slow down" or "take it easy." (People who stutter are just as intelligent as people who don't.) People who stutter report that listeners often avoid eye contact and refuse to wait patiently for them to finish speaking. If you have a speech problem, don't hesitate to let others know how you like to be treated when speaking.
If you have a speech problem, achieving and maintaining control of your speech may be a lifelong process. Although speech therapy can help, you are sure to have ups and downs in your efforts to communicate. But the truth is that the way you speak is only a small part of who you are. Don't be embarrassed to make yourself heard!
If you are concerned about your speech, it's important to let your doctor know. If hearing tests and physical exams don't reveal any problems, some doctors arrange a consultation with a speech pathologist.
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/speech_disorders.html
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