IMPEDIMENT IN SPEECH

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1930, Page 14

IMPEDIMENT IN SPEECH

H,.&/.M ;%I> thfe Editor.) .■■■■■'■.■ !'..:'■.■ , Sir, —In your issue of the 17th.you pub". Wished; au article on,,defective speech. I cannot say thatvl hold with all that "the article contained. In the first place',- stammering .and stuttering are two. different things altogether. Stammering .is usually, an impediment at birth caused by different things, iwhereas stuttering is only a habit mostly picked-; up;, at sc^ppl and often ;by trying,.tofspeak:i'tbojfast; and'can be, and Usually .is,Cchecke_d wLen .young." Moreover, stammering is curable in some cases, but not all; and has no connection with mental,troubles in any.way whatever, unJess people being sensitive and reserved when ridiculed as .ifcntal. Again, if is s'uggesfied...that 'persf^s. so. afflicted have not the;:>amff -power. to meet a difficult situation :as" a .normal person, which, is an injustice and entirely, wrong. But the. trouble is. employers usually pass;by. the people so suffering, simply .because they cannot speak': as quickly and as freely as otliers, and therefore do not get the same chance. I-will admit that such; people are usually self-contained and1 like to work, by themselves; and make ..very few friends;; but when they do" they are gen-erous-and genuine to a fault, honest, and straightforward,- and'will undertake obstacles which their more fortunate brothers would thing twice about: They are usually;;,, independent and will not accept charity or sympathy. l : ,-While'"l^arn. on the' subject,, why -is it that;.'a':i-perßou who stammers—man or womaiij-^and, thank ■ God, they are not many—do ? not receive the same chanice, pi- at least the same ..hearing, as .their, more ■ fortunate. - brethren? . Wheu they call - at; an" ofliee; or.. store,: they are usually told to. "Gair-againyiljam; busy just now," very often with::a.-laugh,-which- hurtß.- I have' travelleS! nearly all over the world, and wWked in' different countries,' and it is the same everywhere with the exception of France. Most countries_ treat one who stammers as a joke, not thinking or caring whether it hurts or liot. These sufferers do not >vant Bympathy or favours from anyone, but. would be thankful for a fair hearing and ask to be treated as other human'beings are treated. I trust" this may give food for. thought, and Eerve to help.others oVer/a. stile.—l am, etc., ~ ' ;';'.■/".:' ; ;'• HELP ONE .ANOTHER.