Original Research Article
Year: 2020 | Month: April | Volume: 10 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 119-123
Pattern of Disfluencies in Children of North and South Karnataka
Theaja Kuriakos1, Sneha Nadig2, Sneha Hiremath2
1Reader, 2Intern,
JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, Kelageri, Dharwad
Corresponding Author: Theaja Kuriakos
ABSTRACT
Fluent speech flows in a rhythmic, smooth and effortless manner. Disfluencies are disruptions of fluent speech. It is normal to occasionally repeat a sound or word, pause briefly or interject extra sound or syllables. The present study aimed to compare the occurrence of disfluencies in children belonging to North and South Karnataka. The study comprised of two groups. Group I consisted 60 children from North Karnataka (Dharwad) and Group II consisted 60 children from South Karnataka (Mysuru). Participants were in the age range of 4 to 5 years. Speech samples from both the groups were collected and analysed to identify the disfluencies. The results revealed that, there is a significant difference in the mean percentage of total disfluencies between children of North and South Karnataka. The children of North Karnataka showed significantly more number of disfluencies when compared to children of South Karnataka. The results also revealed no significant difference in occurrence of disfluencies between males and females of both North and South Karnataka. In the present study the mean percentage of occurrence of disfluencies were found to be more in children of North Karnataka when compared to children of South Karnataka. This could be because of their speaking style. Perceptually the speaking rate of people belonging to North Karnataka tends to be faster when compared to people of South Karnataka. Speaking at a faster rate can lead to emergence of more number of disfluencies in the speech.
Key words: Fluency, Disfluency, Dialect