Do You Stutter?

[Peter Morrison]

Nervousness in public speaking isn't unusual, but I know what it is like to be under the spotlight trying to be cool, calm, and collected. I learned that fearing errors is the influence that causes errors. It isn't easy to overcome thoughts of doom and gloom while all eyes are on you, but the best defense is preparedness.

If you’re able to pick out certain sounds that are difficult- this is very helpful! If you have a presentation to give, go through and highlight the words you know you are going to have trouble with. This way you can anticipate when you are likely to stutter.

I like the advice that Ladybird gave. If you identify the areas that bother you, you must attack those with a proven strategy. Calming yourself prior to saying the difficult words is logical. It's not that you can't say the word, but the nervousness of knowing that it is a problem word causes the trip-up.

Actors will use phrases containing sounds that are easy to trip over as practice for their craft. Long words that are difficult to say can be practiced by chopping the word up into syllables. Say the last syllable, then add the next to last syllable on to the front of that syllable. Repeat those two syllable together many times. Next, add the previous syllable and do the same. Keep going until you see and say the whole word in it's individual syllables. The smaller chunks make it easier to pronounce. It also helps to slow down the cadence of the speech.

Practicing gives confidence. Practicing with someone watching you helps as well. Practicing in the place where you will give your speech is also helpful. We tend to forget that unfamiliar settings can cause us to be nervous. When you give your speech, focus only on the speech. And, as Ladybird suggested, highlight the tough vocabulary so that you can see it coming and ease into it (like you are driving over a pothole).

In the 4th grade, I would be asked to read for the class aloud. We all had to do it. I was horrible at it. The teacher would highlight all of my errors as I read. That didn't help with concentration. The text was new to me, selected from the book by the teacher. No preparation. I also remember the teacher asking me to pick-up where an other student had stopped. I couldn't find the right spot in the text and I was shamed in front of the class. I had lost my place. She grabbed my index finger and pushed it onto the words as she read the sentence. I remember it hurting quite a bit, but I am durable. My pride was more damaged than my finger.

Preparation is a key element in public speaking. You need to keep an even, slow pace when you read a report or a speech. Don't fear the problem areas - practice them and execute the words with confidence. I know that I will stutter in conversation if I am feeling emotionally attached to a statement or defense of a statement. I do it around people I know and like. I don't know where it comes from and I don't know why it happens.

 

[Daydreamer]

I have one, although it occurs a lot less than it used to. However, despite visiting three speech therapists it does crop up occasionally.

Sometimes it's just on a letter sound "h-h-h" but it can also be getting stuck and repeating the start of a word "ma-mana-man-mana-manneqwuin-mannequin". Interestingly, I can usually say mannequin without a problem, but some days I'll just get stuck for no reason. The same goes for quite a few words.

In addition, adding sounds where there shouldn't be can be an issue (imposhible for impossible, desibibiple for despicable. This usually happens if I'm speaking too fast. So if I'm caught up in something and excitedly talking about it, then I'm more like to add sounds like that).

Adding p's for b sounds is a common mistake of mine for some unknown reason. Impropable for improbable. There are certain words I like to sound out, and others I simply avoid (especially if I'm messing up a lot that day).

If I'm not expecting a conversation I occasionally seem to lose the ability to speak. I'll admit that I've been in situations where someone has unexpectedly greeted me, and I've gone silent and just blinked at them blankly. This happened to me not too long ago with a classmate I hadn't spoken to in a while.

Or it'll go like this:

Cashier: Here's your change, that's a great a book for people who like cats.

Me: I, uh, yea- b.

Cashier looks confused.

I leave.

Or...

Shop assistant: Can I help you with anything?

Me: N-I-uh..haha, ugh. *Walks away*

My brain loves to remind me of these moments during the middle of the night/early morning. Sometimes I'm great at conversation, but there are certainly moments where I just...yeah.

 

[Isadoorian]

Only if I get excited or nervous. Trying to do things that required talking in front of the entire class in school was a bit of a hassle due to it.

 

[Gracey]

If I'm not expecting a conversation I occasionally seem to lose the ability to speak.
:

I can do this.
I have always suspected that the answer to their enquiry was in picture/ movie form in my head,
I wasn't expecting to have to translate it; while out and about, quickly.

"Hi, how are you what have you been up to?"
(all one question, apparently)

-I'm trying to recall the last time I spoke with them so I might update them from that point.

all manner of still images and movie clip type memories along a loose time line flood my brain.

I have a fraction of a second to choose the most relevant and describe/skim over them using words.

they've been waiting the length of one heart beat for an answer!
- everyone in such a damn hurry these days.

If I can't answer (honestly and factually) because organising the vocabulary is troublesome,

I'll throw a script at them,
"Hi, I'm great thanks (practised winning smile) how about you?
I haven't seen you for ages, what have you been doing with yourself?
(redirection)


the above sounds better than,

"Grand baby, work, grandson, blood tests, assessment, creating, old colleague's depression, flowers, selling, garden, appointment, limb joints, age, skint, college, Mr Gracey, parents"

which is all I've got until I dress it up then edit.

there's also the fact that they don't actually want to know anyway.
it's a greeting ritual.

 

[Nomen Dubium]

I stutter routinely, even when talking to people I know. I find word-finding difficult sometimes, as in, my train of conversation will come to a grinding halt when the word I want to say just isn't there and it can take several seconds to appear. I've been told I talk fast, too fast for others to understand and I'm often asked to repeat myself, which is frustrating, and that in itself can cause stammering. Sometimes I'll be happily chatting away and suddenly I'll start to mangle the words out of nowhere and I have to stop and backtrack. When I'm under pressure or stress it's even worse, because that's when the word-finding thing becomes prevalent, I start to blush and stumble and... well, it's not pretty.

Inasmuch as there's a 'fix' for it, the only one I've found is to speak slowly, which is unnatural to me and feels like the equivalent of communicating through a verbal straitjacket. It's not something I can keep up for long, after which I tend to lapse back into the previous speech problems.

By and large, I communicate best through writing and text.