Linguistics Pragmatics and Psychotherapy: A Guide for Therapists: 28 (Exc Business And Economy (Whurr)) - Softcover

Chaika, Elaine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861560257 ISBN 13: 9781861560254

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 1999

Synopsis

This book provides a clear and practical guide to semantics, syntax and discourse analysis specifically for those working with psychotic patients. The opening chapter discusses the characteristics and diagnosis of schizophrenic speech and demonstrates how the traditional terms used to characterize disordered schizophrenic speech, such as "vague", "incoherent", "ambiguous", "containing confused references" etc., are too subjective and imprecise to describe accurately the exact nature of the speech and the ways in which it is disordered. The second chapter gives examples of actual speech samples from schizophrenics. These are examined structurally, and an exact analysis of how such speech differs from normal speech - even normal speech which is vague, incoherent etc. - is offered. Since this analysis includes not only phrases and sentences but also entire discourses, other characteristics of schizophrenic speech, such as flight of ideas and apparent rambling, are also discussed. From this exact analysis precise diagnostic criteria and rating scales can be constructed which enable the therapist to measure the severity of the speech disorder and to determine whether or not it is schizophrenic. In the third chapter the actual mechanisms of speech production involved in disordered speech are shown by reference to the analyses in chapter two, and explanations for the syndrome of speech errors in schizophrenia are offered. Chapter four addresses the question of whether or not schizophrenic speech is simply highly creative - so much so that people have difficulty understanding it. It discusses how words can normally be used in new ways to effect new meanings, how new words are formed and used, how metaphors and other figures of speech are created normally, and how these processes go awry in schizophrenic speech. Examples are given from many languages to illustrate the universality of these processes. The fifth chapter demonstrates how such diosrdered speech can often be interpreted if one understands what underlying mechanisms have gone wrong. Several long monologues by schizophrenics, never before published, are analyzed to show (1) that the speakers are often trying to convey messages and (2) how we can make reasonable interpretations of those messages. The final chapter discusses how group therapy based on what we know about normal conversation can help patients to communicate more effectively. The book should be of interest to speech and language therapists and pathologists - particularly those working in mental hospitals, and to psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists and mental health workers.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

This book discusses current theories in linguistics and sociolinguistics as they relate to therapeutic situations, including uses of metaphor, slogans, and proverbs. It shows how people's empathies or feeling of alienation are displayed by the language they choose to describe or discuss events. Dysfunctions as different as depression, drug and alcohol additions, agoraphobia, schizophrenia and bulimia are examined in terms of the language used by clients or patients. It is shown that the way people encode life events influences their self-evaluations, evaluations of others, and their general behaviour, so that therapy becomes a process of learning to retell one's life story.

Every chapter contains either actual narratives from clients or therapist/client interviews with thorough linguistic and sociolinguistic analyses of these speech activities. The therapist is shown how to listen and what to listen for in the client's speech, as well as what kinds of questions to ask.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1861560257
• ISBN 13: 9781861560254
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 196