stuttering

A young boy is stuttering while reading aloud in class.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • Speech disorder: "stuttering" refers to a condition characterized by involuntary repetitions, prolongations, or blocks of sounds, syllables, or words during speech, often causing communication difficulties.
   • Act of speaking with such disruptions: It can also denote the act or instance of speaking in a halting, repetitive manner.

2. Adjective:

   • Characterized by halting or repetitive speech: Describes speech or behavior that is marked by involuntary repetitions or pauses, similar to the symptom of the disorder.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • His stuttering made it difficult for him to order food at the restaurant. (His speech disorder caused communication challenges.)
  • The therapist specializes in treating stuttering in children. (The condition of speaking with repetitions or blocks.)

• Adjective:

  • She gave a stuttering apology, repeating the first syllable of each word. (Her apology was delivered with involuntary repetitions.)
  • The old engine made a stuttering sound before it died. (The sound was halting and irregular, like a speech disruption.)

Advanced Usage

• "stuttering speech": a specific form of speech characterized by the disorder.

  • The recording captured his stuttering speech patterns accurately. (The recording showed the typical repetitions and blocks.)

• "stuttering pace": a metaphorical use describing something that proceeds hesitantly or irregularly.

  • The project moved at a stuttering pace due to frequent delays. (The progress was uneven and interrupted.)

Variants and Related Words

• Stutter (verb): to speak with involuntary repetitions or blocks of sounds.

  • He tends to stutter when he is nervous. (He speaks with the disorder under stress.)

• Stutterer (noun): a person who stutters.

  • The support group helps stutterers build confidence. (People with the speech disorder.)

• Stutteringness (noun): the quality or state of being stuttering (less common).

  • The stutteringness of his delivery was noticeable. (The characteristic of being halting.)

Synonyms

• Halting: hesitant or faltering in speech or movement.
• Hesitating: pausing or delaying in speech.
• Faltering: losing strength or momentum in speech or action.

Phrasal Verbs

• Stutter out: to speak with difficulty, often in a halting way.

  • He stuttered out an apology after his mistake. (He apologized with difficulty, repeating sounds.)

• Stutter through: to manage to speak or complete something despite stuttering.

  • She stuttered through her presentation, but the audience was patient. (She delivered the speech despite the disorder.)

Related Idioms

• Stutter and stammer: to speak with difficulty, often used together for emphasis.

  • He didn't stutter and stammer; he spoke clearly and confidently. (He did not show any speech hesitation.)

• Like a stuttering record: describing something that repeats or gets stuck repeatedly.

  • His explanation was like a stuttering record, repeating the same point. (The explanation was repetitive and stuck.)