This session is developed by, and presenters invited by, Autism. Autism has long been characterized by a variety of spoken language features, including echolalia, repetitive utterances, neologisms and “formal” speech. In this presentation, I will revisit a framework for these “unconventional language features” originally proposed by Prizant and Rydell (1993); I will then suggest both updates and extensions to the framework. In the presentation, I will consider definitions, measurement approaches and correlates of these spoken language features. The communicative value and clinical significance of unconventional language will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Describe Describe a proposed framework for unconventional language.
Explain Explain the distinctions between nongenerative, generative and transitional forms of unconventional language.
Discuss Discuss the clinical significance of unconventional language, in terms of communicative significance and possible developmental markers.
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