Co‐constructed talk in the conversations of people with dysarthria and aphasia

Abstract

This paper uses the methodology of conversation analysis (CA) to examine the practice of co‐constructed turn and utterance production in impaired communication. An investigation of the conversations between two family dyads, featuring one person with dysarthric speech and one with aphasic language, reveals one way in which single turns and utterances are produced through the collaborative activities of two people in interaction. Such a practice is shown to operate without problems for the participants or the need for explicit acceptance by the speakers. It is proposed that co‐construction in disordered speech and language is one way in which communicative competence is accomplished. By drawing attention to similarities in the consequences of dysarthria and aphasia in everyday interaction, it is suggested that researchers and clinicians might profitably look across disorder‐specific boundaries.

• Dysarthria
• aphasia
• conversation analysis
• co‐construction

Notes

1. All names of people and places in this paper have been replaced by pseudonyms.

2. Alex's use of eye blinking is a highly regular action throughout the recorded conversations and one that is always treated by both participants as an acceptance of a prior question or confirmatory check.

3. It was Goffman (1981) who noted that a distinction could be drawn between the ‘author/owner’ and the ‘animator’ of an utterance, whereby an animator may voice words, experiences and views that are recognizably owned by another speaker (the author). Tim's role, termed here ‘spokesperson’, has similarities with Goffman's animator.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.