TOWARDS A THEORY OF FLUENCY

Journal Title: Acta Neuropsychologica - Year 2007, Vol 5, Issue 4

Abstract

In applied linguistics, the term “fluency” occurs most often in the context of second language acquisition (SLA), where it serves as a generally accepted outcome measure. It pertains to speech, and more specifically, to the rate of speech production in the target language (L2), but it is not reducible to time. To speak a second language “fluently” is to speak as quickly as a native speaker, or nearly so, while maintaining an acceptable level of comprehensibility. In neurolinguistics and neuropsychology, on the other hand, fluency (measured in mostly quantitative terms) is a clinical parameter that distinguishes certain types of aphasia (fluent and non-fluent), and is increasingly recognized as a differentiating parameter in various types of dementia. The aim of the present paper is to suggest that despite the obvious differences in the meaning of the word “fluency” in applied linguistics and neurolinguistics, there is an important underlying, unifying concept. The central issue is time, or more specifically, how the brain organizes time and how this organization is reflected in behavior – in this case, verbal behavior. The properties of fluency are, as the etymology suggests, analogous to those of a fluid, especially movement and the relative absence of perceptible points and boundaries.

Authors and Affiliations

Bruce MacQueen

Keywords

Related Articles

BRAIN ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE CONGRUENT AND INCONGRUENT PART OF THE STROOP TEST PERFORMANCE- NOT ONLY DIFFERENCES BUT ALSO SIMILARITIES IN THE BRAIN ACTIVITY PATTERN. A NEUROIMAGING PET(H2O15) STUDY

Background: Previous studies on brain activity during the completion of the Stroop test focused mainly on finding differences between brain activity during the completion of the congruent and incongruent parts of the tes...

CORRELATION BETWEEN SALIVARY CORTISOL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS INDICATORS DURING A DRIVING COURSE

The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of stress of a practical, thirty-hour driving course on changes in salivary cortisol concentration and on changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The...

COEXISTENCE OF ADHD AND PSYCHOPATHY IN MALE OFFENDERS

[b]Background.[/b] Empirical studies on psychopathic personality disorders indicate a correlation between conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in...

ACADEMY OF LIFE PROGRAM FOR A PATIENT WITH SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY TO THE FRONTAL LOBES

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the Academy of Life program on a patient with an extremely severe TBI and behavioral changes, who did not benefit from a long-term program of holistic rehabi...

NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

The most dangerous kind of abuse is family violence. It occurs in the contextof a relationship of intimacy, kinship, trust and dependency, and mayhave physical, mental, or sexual forms. Family violence can take the form...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP55279
  • DOI -
  • Views 117
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Bruce MacQueen (2007). TOWARDS A THEORY OF FLUENCY. Acta Neuropsychologica, 5(4), -. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-55279