Stammering is what we do to avoid stuttering
by Steve Sheasby

As a devotee of solution focused brief therapy¹, I should really be focussing on the solution, not the problem. But in defining a 'do-able' solution, I at least had to look at the problem. In so doing I found something that helped me. Maybe it will help you.

In 1972 Wendell Johnson wrote rather enigmatically: "stuttering" is what you do trying not to "stutter" again². I think dysfluency has two distinct parts: stuttering (normal dysfluency) and stammering (tension, blocking and avoidance). This may help us to define our problem. Have you ever noticed how 'normal' speakers sometimes repeat parts of words, pause, or repeat parts of phrases (you see this in its most extreme manifestation in public meetings)? Because they don't have the tension we have - they are not 'stammerers'. So let us call this 'normal' behaviour stuttering. And let us call the tension, blocking, avoiding words, body movements - 'stammering'. In this way, stammering is what we do to avoid stuttering.

Stammering makes speaking harder. Therefore; stuttering: good, stammering: bad. Think of the other person's perspective. Is it easier to converse with someone who easily repeats a few phrases, or someone who blocks up completely?

So the solution - 'life without the problem' could be stuttering as I have defined it, but not stammering. As it's easier to build on something that is already happening, you could try voluntary 'stuttering' in easy stages to start with, maybe to your nearest and dearest, then later to others. Now, when my wife - who's a developmental biologist - says to me 'you're stuttery today' - I can say 'yes' with satisfaction and pride.

1 George, Iveson and Ratner (1990) Problem to Solution, BT Press.
2 Johnson, W. 'Desirable Objectives and Procedures For an Adult Stutterer' (1972) To the stutterer, Publication No.9, Stuttering Foundation of America, p.21.

From the Winter 2004 edition of Speaking Out