Thesis Abstract and Dissertation Abstracts
Language Analysis of Bilingual Maltese-English Stuttering Children
Abstract Category: Education
Course / Degree: Master of Science Degree- clincal speech and language studies
Institution / University: Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland
Published in: 1995
This study is a comparison of language skills in four bilingual Maltese stuttering children (3 boys and 1 girl) mean age 6:10 (years:months)and four bilingual Maltese nonstuttering children (3 boys and 1 girl) mean age 6:10 (years: months).
Three questions are addressed in the study:
- Are there significant variations in the Maltese and English expressive and receptive scores of the bilingual stuttering Maltese children and the bilingual nonstuttering Maltese children?
- Is there a higher frequency of code-switching in the Maltese and English language of the bilingual stuttering children then in the bilingual nonstuttering children?
- Is there a higher frequency of stuttering types preceding mixed utterances in the stuttering children's speech sample?
The expressive and receptive language ages on the Reynell Developmental Language Scale (RDLS) (1985) in Maltese and English language were compared. The stuttering children scored lower in the receptive and expressive language score of the English language (Mann Whitney U=0, p <.05). No significant difference was noted in the receptive scores of the Maltese language but nonstuttering children scored significantly higher in the expressive language score of the Maltese language (Mann Whitney U= 0.5, p<.05).
A spontaneous speech sample in English and Maltese of 50 utterances was tape-recorded from each child. The stuttering bilingual children used a larger number of mixed utterances in the Maltese language and irregular syntax in the English language then the nonstuttering bilingual children.
Perceived disfluencies were also identified in the stuttering children's speech sample. It was found that a higher frequency of stuttering types preceded mixed utterances in the Maltese language and irregular syntax in the English language.
Two models of disfluencies were used to interpret the results ; the Demands and Capacities model (Adams, 1990; Starkweather, 1987) and the neuropsycholinguistic model (Perkins, Kent, & Curlee, 1991). This suggests that in some bilingual children fluency breakdown occurs as a result of the relationship between linguistic demands and capacities or because of dysynchronies in the development of lexical and syntactic aspects of both languages.
Thesis Keywords/Search Tags:
stuttering, bilingualism, language
This Thesis Abstract may be cited as follows:
Agius, J. (1995), Language Analysis of Bilingual Maltese-English Stuttering Children, Unpublished M.Sc. Dissertation, Trinity College, University of Dublin
Submission Details: Thesis Abstract submitted by Joseph Agius from Malta on 05-Oct-2003 10:03.
Abstract has been viewed 4046 times (since 7 Mar 2010).
Joseph Agius Contact Details: Email: josephagius@waldonet.net.mt
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