What are Communication Disorders?

A common misconception is that ‘speech disorders’ and ‘language disorders’ can be used interchangeably, but in reality, these are two very different things.

It is possible to have both a speech and language disorder simultaneously, or just one.

Speech refers to how we say sounds and words; it includes how we articulate (how we make the speech sounds with our mouth, lips, and tongue), voice (how we use our vocal folds and breath to make sounds), and fluency (our rhythm of speech). Therefore, a speech disorder results when one or more of these aspects is disturbed. This may include an individual who has a speech impediment, stutter, or apraxia.

Language refers to the words and grammar that we use to communicate our thoughts. If you know a language, you are similar to a telepathic: you are able to send and receive different ideas and intentions from others. Therefore, a language disorder occurs when we lose this telepathic skill, and we are no longer able to send and/or receive different ideas from other people. When an individual can no longer send their thoughts and ideas, they have an expressive language disorder; when they can no longer receive, they have a receptive language disorder.

References:

1. “What Is Speech? What Is Language?” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

McGill Undergraduates for Communication Disorders Awareness

What are Communication Disorders?

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