The Use of Teenlect in Adolescents with William Syndrome and Their Typically Developing Peers

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

27-4-2009 1:00 PM

End Date

27-4-2009 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Speech, Hearing, and Rehabilitation Services

Student's College

Allied Health and Nursing

Mentor's Name

Patricia Hargrove

Mentor's Department

Speech, Hearing, and Rehabilitation Services

Mentor's College

Allied Health and Nursing

Description

This project investigated teenlect in adolescents with William syndrome. William syndrome is a developmental disability characterized by cognitive impairment and unique strengths and weaknesses in language skills. Speakers with William syndrome "have quite extensive and strong, language expression and acquisition. However, the ability to speak those words, in addition to complications with visuospatial recognition, can be impaired. What is commonly seen, then is a child with advanced vocabulary and a keen skill for grammar, with a poor ability to express speech and a poor ability to perform in areas that involve abstract thinking" (Cadena, 2007). Our research is focused on teenlect, which is a type of dialect that is used frequently by adolescents. Specifically, we examined the conversations for six targeted words/phrases that are common in teenlect dialogue. These words/phrases are you know, like, cool, whatever, and stuff, or something. We reviewed speech samples of twelve adolescents with William syndrome (WS) and twelve typically developing (TD) peers. The data had been collected and transcribed by previous graduate clinicians who had conversed individually with the participants. The transcriptions were coded so that we would not form any predispositions about the status (i.e., WS or TD) of participants. We analyzed the data by calculating the occurrence of our target words. The results will be discussed in light of the current literature on William syndrome.

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Apr 27th, 1:00 PM Apr 27th, 3:00 PM

The Use of Teenlect in Adolescents with William Syndrome and Their Typically Developing Peers

CSU Ballroom

This project investigated teenlect in adolescents with William syndrome. William syndrome is a developmental disability characterized by cognitive impairment and unique strengths and weaknesses in language skills. Speakers with William syndrome "have quite extensive and strong, language expression and acquisition. However, the ability to speak those words, in addition to complications with visuospatial recognition, can be impaired. What is commonly seen, then is a child with advanced vocabulary and a keen skill for grammar, with a poor ability to express speech and a poor ability to perform in areas that involve abstract thinking" (Cadena, 2007). Our research is focused on teenlect, which is a type of dialect that is used frequently by adolescents. Specifically, we examined the conversations for six targeted words/phrases that are common in teenlect dialogue. These words/phrases are you know, like, cool, whatever, and stuff, or something. We reviewed speech samples of twelve adolescents with William syndrome (WS) and twelve typically developing (TD) peers. The data had been collected and transcribed by previous graduate clinicians who had conversed individually with the participants. The transcriptions were coded so that we would not form any predispositions about the status (i.e., WS or TD) of participants. We analyzed the data by calculating the occurrence of our target words. The results will be discussed in light of the current literature on William syndrome.

Recommended Citation

Wandrie, Jessica; Emily Wallin; Kahlynn Bach; Kelly Olson; and Jennifer Worrall. "The Use of Teenlect in Adolescents with William Syndrome and Their Typically Developing Peers." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 27, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/poster-session-B/20