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Your Stammer and How To Correct It
Your Stammer and How To Correct It
YOUR STAMMER
AND HOW TO
CORRECT IT
2
YOUR STAMMER
AND HOW TO CORRECT IT
by
H. ST. JOHN RUMSEY
M.A. Cantab.
Late Choral Scholar of King’s Coll.,Cambridge
Speech Therapist and Lecturer in Speech Therapy
at Guy’s Hospital
With a Foreword by
W. M. MOLLISON
C.E.B., M.A., M.Ch., Cantab., F.R.C.S. Eng.,
Surgeon-in-charge Ear, Nose and Throat Dept.,
Guy’s Hospital
LONDON
FREDERICK MULLER LTD.
29 Great James Street, W.C.I
4
IN 1937
FOREWORD
W.M. MOLLISON
23 Devonshire Place,
W.I.
6
AUTHOR’S PREFACE
During the last few years we, in this country, have given
much more thought to the correction of stammering; it has been
a period of collecting facts and forming theories. At the moment
there is a risk that some of us “cannot see the wood for the
trees”.
This is my reason for writing another little book on the habit
of stammering after another fourteen years of hospital and
private experience. My aim is to clear the atmosphere by
explaining to my readers how respiration, the vocal tone
produced in the larynx and the articulatory movements of the
tongue, lips and jaws are coordinated into speech in the normal
speaker, and how, and why, in the case of the stammerer this
coordination breads down.
My grateful thanks are due to Mr. ...
CONTENTS
Foreword
Author’s Preface
I Introductory.............................................................. 1
II A General Survey..................................................... 4
III Respiration............................................................... 8
IV The Larynx...............................................................12
VII Causation..................................................................25
VIII Definition..................................................................31
IX Treatment..................................................................32
XI The Stammerer..........................................................42
Chapter I
INTRODUCTORY
How can it be possible to say that anyone else can and will break a
bad habit? How can it be possible to say how long it will take?
The confidence shown by the medical profession by the
institution of speech clinics at some of the larger hospitals is an
assurance to the public that good work can be done and is being
done, but the public should be guided by this medical confidence.
To seek help from an instructor who has not got medical
recommendation is to court disaster; it can only be compared with
seeking medical advice from the local grocer.
As will be shown in more detail in the following chapters there
are two distinct aspects from which stammering may be viewed; it
is a definite bad habit and may be viewed and treated as such;
there is also a strong element of fear, but whether the fear is the
cause of the stammer or the result of it is a question which must
engage the attention of every student of speech disabilities. If the
fear is the primary cause of the stammer the help of the
psychotherapist should be sought, but if the habit of stammering
has caused the fear it is obviously the concern of the expert in
voice production.
4
Chapter II
A GENERAL SURVEY
between them. For vocal noise, then, there are two essentials, the
vocal cords and the breath which causes them to vibrate. To make
vocal noise into speech a third factor must be added, the
movements of the lips, jaws, soft palate and the tongue, the last-
mentioned being the most important. As the stammerer knows to
his cost, the tongue has been well named “the unruly member”.
The ventriloquist’s art consists in having his tongue under such
perfect control that he can make it do the work of the lips and jaws
and thus speak distinctly and audibly without the normal mouth
movements. In the case of the stammerer he tries to make the
tongue do the work of the larynx, a physical impossibility!
Whistling is the only way in which the tongue can in any sense do
work comparable with the work done by the larynx.
We have seen that there are three essentials without which
even rudimentary speech is impossible, exhalation (breathing out),
the vibration of the vocal cords and movements of the lips, jaws,
soft palate and tongue. These are the essential factors which are
coordinated into speech; the stammerer fails to coordinate them.
This failure to coordinate is all the more remarkable when we
remind ourselves that the average stammerer can sing without any
difficulty, in other words, failure to coordinate does not hinder
song although it prevents fluent speech. This point cannot be too
strongly emphasized, because we are not bi-vocal, we use the
same organs for speech and song. The late Harry Plunket Greene
did valuable service to the art of singing both by his own singing
and his teaching by insisting on the “essential similarities between
speech and song”. The only differences which should exist are that
in song the pitch of the voice and the time values of the notes and
syllables are decided by the composer whereas in speech these are
left to the discretion and literary instinct of the speaker. With these
exceptions it is to the advantage of both speaker and singer to
remember that what is right in song is also right in speech, and
that what is right in speech is also right in song. If I may be
allowed to borrow the words of a great singer and teacher of
singing, I would say:— “What can be sung, can equally easily be
spoken as long as the speaker realizes and abides by the essential
6
Chapter III
RESPIRATION
respiration for us; because it is the breath coming from the lungs
which passes between the vocal cords, thereby causing them to
vibrate and thus produce vocal tone.
Breathing out or exhalation is mostly governed by a natural
recoil of the lungs which tend to contract after inflation. This
recoil of the lungs is further accelerated by the recoil of the thorax,
the bones of which tend to return to their relative positions before
expansion. Unless this recoil of the thorax is controlled, the breath
may flow between the vocal cords too quickly, in which case vocal
tone will be diminished instead of being increased.
It is essential that the reader should realize that an increase
of breath will not necessarily produce an increase of tone
volume. Control of the breath is far more important than
volume of breath. The most difficult problem in voice
production is to preserve the balance between vocal cord
control and breath control. The reader is once more reminded
that very little breath is required for speech in excess of what
is required when sleeping or sitting still.
The amount of breath required when at ease is called tidal air;
that extra amount of air—which can be forcibly inhaled is called
complemental air; that which can be forcibly exhaled is called
supplemental air. Complemental air will be needed for singing,
more especially in a large hall with a full orchestra; for public
speaking very much less will be required, while for ordinary
conversation the amount of complemental air necessary is almost
negligible.
For singing the lateral expansion should be maintained all the
time, while inspiration and expiration will be automatically
controlled by the action of the diaphragm. By this method we are
able to breath with an enlarged lung capacity, although respiration
is controlled by the normal action of the diaphragm which is
automatic. For lecturing it should be sufficient to stand very erect;
this will slightly enlarge the breathing capacity and should provide
ample breath; it is not necessary consciously to maintain the
lateral expansion.
For ordinary speech so little complemental air is needed that
conscious control of the lateral expansion is likely to do more
11
Chapter I V
THE LARYNX
by rotatory movements, not only open and close the vocal cords,
but increase and decrease their tension, thereby changing the pitch
of their vibration.
The vocal cords are controlled by a muscular system which, in
turn, is controlled by the mental conception of the vocal tone
required.
This is one of the most important facts in our chain of evidence
and to make it clearer we will use another wording. The vocal
cords are not under the control of the will, but are controlled
by our mental perception of the sound they make.
In a later chapter the importance of this fact and the light it
throws on the stammering habit will be discussed. Meanwhile
there are other facts about the vocal cords which we ought to
know.
In the case of musical instruments, of which the larynx is one,
the power must be in proportion to the vibrator. As an illustration,
think of the varying weights of the bows used respectively for a
violin, a cello and a double bass. If the power (the breath) that
drives the vibrator (the vocal cords) is too powerful and out of
proportion, the vocal tone will suffer in quality. In the case of the
human voice quality depends on the full use of the resonating
cavities, to be explained later, which amplify the tone produced in
the larynx and supply the harmonics or overtones, which make the
voice-tone full and “round” instead of thin and reedy.
If the voice is perfectly produced, the whole of the thorax is
converted into a musical instrument, inasmuch as all the bones of
the thoracic cage will act as resonators supplementary to the
vibration in the larynx. It is by this means that the voice is
reinforced, gains in musical quality and carrying power, and gives
an impression of power and personality. In addition to thoracic
resonance, the top of the head, the forehead and the cavities round
the nose all contribute to and help to “fill up” the original tone.
The valuable contribution of these auxiliary resonators can be
hindered or even entirely frustrated by constriction of the throat
above the vocal cords; it is therefore essential to learn what is
called the open production, if full use is to be made of the voice.
Open production is impossible unless the pressure of the breath is
14
Chapter V
VOWELS AND
CONSONANTS
power of the voice, the clear sounding of each vowel to bring out
its individual character and the rhythmic swing of the sentence or
phrase.
There are essential similarities between speech and song; for
the latter, vowels (which carry the vocal tone) must predominate.
If our aim is to speak musically and with rhythm the vowels will
receive a certain amount of preference over the consonants.
Broadly speaking, the vocal tone has free exit from the
mouth during the sounding of the vowels, while it is
considerably restricted during the pronunciation of the
consonants: another very important link in our chain of
evidence. Remember, it is always in the consonants that the
stammerer imagines that he finds his difficulties.
Any attempt to sing necessitates concentration on the
production of vocal tone, which has free exit during the
sounding of the vowels. The stammerer can sing without any
difficulty.
So much then for normal speech in the average case and some
hint of how it may be improved. The next chapter will describe the
mannerisms of the typical stammerer.
19
Chapter VI
THE STAMMERER’S
SPEECH
Chapter VII
CAUSATION
is controlled from the left side of the brain. It was thought at one
time that to compel a child, naturally left-handed, to write with his
right hand, disturbed the control of his speech. It is now thought
by most people who have studied the question that there is no
proved risk to the speech control. My own experience during the
last twenty years tells me that the use of the right or left hand is
such a small factor that it will not make the difference between a
successful treatment and a failure.
The risk from imitation. There is no doubt that many cases of
stammering have developed from the imitation of another
stammerer, intentionally for the purpose of ridicule, in which case
the development of a stammer is indeed a Gilbertian punishment!
In other cases the imitation has been subconscious, but the result
equally disastrous. There is a definite risk in permitting
association with another stammerer, and for this reason remedial
treatment in classes is not to be recommended.
Is Stammering Hereditary? This is a question that is very often
asked by young people who contemplate marriage and are
themselves stammerers. To answer it, I would remind you how the
average child learns to speak; he is not taught by experts, but he
picks up speech from those immediately round him. He will
naturally learn chiefly by imitation, and if his mother, with whom
he is likely to spend a good deal of his time, happens to be a rapid
speaker with a staccato rhythm, the child will grow up with the
type of speech liable to break down into a stammer. In many
families there is a great similarity of speech among the various
members. To quote two or three instances, in one family both
parents stammered slightly and all the six children stammered. In
another case, the father stammered and two sons out of six
children required correction. In a family of eight children both
sons stammered, one of them very badly indeed; the father had
stammered in youth and the whole family, without exception,
spoke at excessive speed, so fast indeed that it was almost
impossible to understand what they were trying to say. This
unfortunate propensity among children to imitate the speech of
those around them, whether it happens to be desirable or not,
29
Chapter VIII
DEFINITION
Chapter IX
TREATMENT
kept under, but with the faulty speech of the average stammerer
left uncorrected, there is an obvious danger of relapse if mental
poise should again become upset. To guard against this it should
be combined with speech correction so that, not only is the fear
eliminated but the door is closed against the stammer for all time.
A great number of stammerers have been cured by this method,
but it is not always successful, and if used by itself there is a very
considerable chance of a relapse.
4. Elocution.
The derivation of this word suggests that elocution teaches the
art of speech delivery, but in actual fact, most of the teachers of
elocution are engaged in training children for the stage. With this
end in view far more attention is given to the study of gesture and
expression than to the basic principles of speech, in fact there is
little done in this direction except to teach pupils to emphasize all
the consonants. There are very few teachers of elocution who ever
mention voice production or who teach the correct formation of
the vowel sounds of what we may call Southern Educated English.
With the enormous expansion of elocution as a business there
has come into being an examination system whereby pupils can
gradually progress from diploma (in various grades) to medals (in
three grades) and finally to a teacher’s diploma. This diploma
generally contains a statement to the effect that the holder is
qualified to undertake the correction of speech defects and
disabilities, but as far as can be ascertained, among the various
schools of elocution which organize public examinations and grant
diplomas to teachers, there is only one in which instruction in
speech therapy is given by a specialist in that work and who holds
a public appointment.
Since speech training in most of the schools of elocution
consists of teaching over-stressed consonants while voice
production is entirely ignored, it is obvious that the stammerer
who already over-stresses his consonants and has faulty voice
production cannot look for a cure in that direction. There are of
course, a few teachers of elocution who are speech trainers and
whose help would be of definite value.
38
Chapter X
is much better to delay the treatment and get the plunge into work
safely over; so that the boy knows the worst; later on, he can be
given a few weeks leave from his work so that he may go through
a course of instruction. The more the parents can tell the speech
therapist about the patient, the better are the latter’s chances of
success.
When the treatment actually begins, sympathetic help from the
other members of the family may be the deciding factor between
failure and success. While it is true that the effort must be made by
the stammerer and the correction must be his, it makes all the
difference if he is in a sympathetic atmosphere. If he wants to be
reminded about his voice, it is very unkind of the family to show
complete apathy, yet I have known many cases in which such
simple help was withheld because the family were too busy with
their amusements to take trouble on behalf of the unfortunate
stammerer. Again, there are other cases in which the stammerer is
better left alone, he prefers to worry through his correction by
himself. It is surely the business of the members of the family to
know what is wanted and to do all in their power to help, whether
by leaving the stammerer alone or by reminding him of his voice
without nagging at him.
The most valuable help of all in every type of case will be for
the other members of the family to talk slowly and firmly and
evenly. While they are helping the stammerer they will be
improving their own speech.
We have seen how large a part is played by imitation; the child
learns speech in the first instance by conscious imitation; we see
how grown up people unconsciously imitate an American accent
or an Australian one. Subconsciously the stammerer will tend to
talk like the people around him and apart from this he will
appreciate the sympathy that is felt for him in his efforts to correct
his faults. I have personal knowledge of many cases in which a
stammer has been averted at its first onset, by the efforts made by
the parents; no mention of stammering has been made, but the
parents have spoken slowly with the happiest results. I have also
personal knowledge of cases under treatment which have been
made successful by the patient efforts of parents. I know of actual
41
cases in which failure was the direct result of the gabbling speech
of the rest of the family; it is not too easy to speak slowly, but it is
made ten times more difficult if brothers and sisters display
complete apathy by continuing to speak rapidly although they
know that the stammerer is making a great effort to speak slowly.
There are still people who advise parents to leave a stammerer
alone, they say that the boy will grow out of it. First of all, there is
no reason why he should grow out of it, but if he did it would
probably not be until he was over thirty; meanwhile think of the
half wasted school years, with constant interference with work and
comparative certainty of being passed over instead of being
appointed to the office of prefect. The most valuable time during
the years at a public school is the year or so during which boy is a
prefect; a neglected stammer makes such promotion out of the
question except in special circumstances.
It is useless to send a boy for treatment unless he has a real and
personal wish to speak properly, it is unfair to the boy and to the
instructor, who gets blamed if the treatment is unsuccessful, but it
is even more unfair to withhold treatment if the patient is
genuinely keen and prepared to do his best.
42
Chapter XI
THE STAMMERER
From the moment the stammerer can say one sentence with
correct speed, correct vocal tone and correct rhythm, he knows
that—
he can correct his stammering habit.
If he can speak one sentence correctly, he can speak the others.
Below is a sentence which has corrected scores of stammers.
“He ordered his men to break down the bridge.”
H D D H S M N T BR K D N TH BR DG
EE OR ER I E OO EA OW E I
Chapter XII