4 Clever Tips For Bilingualism and Stuttering

There is a lot to think about when it comes to bilingualism and stuttering.

If you are learning or speaking a second language and you also stutter it is normal to feel like your fluency is really affected.

When you speak a new language you will find yourself: word searching, concept searching, fighting for correct grammar as well as facing increased performance stress, especially if the language is new.

Plus there are the delicate social expectations and differences across our diverse cultures which need your attention.

Today we really want to dive right into strategy for you! See, for the past 6 years we have been delivering stuttering therapy in the multicultural space for adults in Melbourne and online.

So let’s get into this.

This article is long. And detailed.

Detail is our thing.

So perhaps grab yourself a nice cup of tea or glass of water. Pop your feet up. There you go… comfy?

And if you get stuck while reading all the info, remember, our team are just an email or phone call away. Feel comfortable to ask us any questions about stuttering. We are here for you.

Smooth speech, an evidence-based behavioural modification approach which uses techniques such as starting gently, stretching and linking, can be applied to both languages successfully. When practised and utilised daily, smooth speech techniques give you control over your stutter.

Let’s stop for a minute.

Consider your language skills for a moment.

If you have difficulty working it out, no stress! You may just happen to be a balanced bilingual. When you know your language dominance we can target your treatment adequately.

We’ve uncovered some pretty solid evidence that language dominance affects the severity of your stutter.

That being said, you’ll see the same type of stuttering across all your languages and the weaker language will have a higher rate and frequency of stutters (Lim, Lincoln, Chan, & Onslow, 2008).

If there is a large discrepancy with stuttering primarily occurring in only one language, this may indicate an imbalance in language proficiency.

And what about balanced bilinguals?

How badly do they stutter?

Well, usually balanced bilinguals have similar severity ratings and percentages of syllables stuttered across each language (Lim, Lincoln, Chan, & Onslow, 2008).

In your assessment session, make sure you discuss language dominance. Our team will ask you questions around your languages and stuttering. We will also take a speech sample in your core languages.

Please don’t leave one language at the door before your stuttering therapy starts. Because we are waiting to work in both languages. We will custom design your treatment sessions so that you are practicing your speaking strategies in both languages. This will give you the best outcomes.

A short time ago, we were working with a client who spoke Arabic & English. They saw Arabic as their dominant language.
From discussions and speech samples we noted that the stutter was more pronounced in English when compared to Arabic.

Since the client stuttered in both languages, we allocated speech tasks and home practice in both Arabic and English.

The client was trained to use the same stuttering techniques for both their languages. Early in the program our client was worried that the smooth speech technique of linking did not fit with what Arabic needed. See, they wanted to make sure they were true to the rhythm and flow of Arabic, even when using their stuttering therapy techniques.

Naturalness is an essential part of fluency, so we discussed the top priorities to control the stutter.

A great solution was achieved. The client decided that when speaking English, their main goal to prevent their stutter was linking and when speaking Arabic, their main goal changed to soft starts.

This was a happy medium for the client who reported feeling as if they were in control of their stutter while also maintaining naturalness across both languages.

We know that pauses can be a risk factor for stuttering, but at times you may need additional time to code-switch. Our recommendation is to take your time. Have a breath, take a moment of poise to gather your thoughts and then speak. This will allow you more time to focus on your fluency techniques from the beginning of your phrase. If you are always stopping and starting due to code-switching from L1 or formulating ideas, brainstorm some measures to increase your vocabulary or use techniques to structure your thoughts more effectively.

We talk about this topic a lot! Some clients report that their stuttering increases in certain environments or when feeling a certain emotion. This is why transfer practice is essential. Role-play situations where you know your language skills and fluency skills will be challenged. Maybe it is the job interview you are preparing for or the newest proposal you will be making at this month’s meeting. No matter the situation, there’s always an opportunity to practise your skills.

Think of your contingencies! While you can never be prepared for every situation or worst case scenario you can prepare! Control what you can control, and in this case, it is your fluency and vocabulary. Continue to update your vocab Trello boards with specific terms needed for upcoming meetings, networking events etc. Practice using this vocabulary daily while using your smooth speech techniques. If you know that your boss likes to throw out challenging questions, make sure you have a strong expressive language structure to reduce the chance of being caught off guard.

Just like any task that you are learning, the less proficient, the more you need to practice. Stuttering severity can increase in your less dominant language.

Therefore, why not focus on practicing and perfecting your fluency techniques in your less dominant language. It may be harder and more frustrating, but we promise, the more you commit to daily practice, the easier it will become for you to master.

Just like in archery, our arrow has to be aimed and pointing in the right direction to hit the bullseye on the target. 

How do you feel in response to questions about your country of origin, accent or language background?

What strategies do you use when communicating to create a safe and empowering environment with your communication partners?

Take some moment to reflect on strategies you might use to better equip your speaking comfort when interacting with questions around your language background. Remember, you always have a choice around how you represent yourself and how much personal information you provide strangers or contacts with.

If you want to get some feedback on your English pronunciation, you’ve got to see Your Personalised Pronunciation Audit.

When you book you’ll score yourself a total audit into every single sound of English so that you learn which sounds need more work.

Blair, D., & Collins, P. (2001). English in Australia. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Cox, F. (2006). Australian English pronunciation into the 21st century. Prospect, 21(1), 3-21.
https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/australian-english-pronunciation-into-the-21st-century-2

Fletcher, Janet & Evans, Nicholas. (2002). An acoustic phonetic analysis of intonational prominence in two Australian languages. Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 32. 123 – 140. 10.1017/S0025100302001019.

Mompean, Jose A. & Gómez, F. (2011). Hiatus Resolution Strategies in Non-rhotic English: The Case of /r/-liaison. 17-21.

Moore, B. (2010). Speaking our language: The story of Australian English. South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press.

Penney, Joshua & Cox, Felicity & Szakay, Anita. (2019). Glottalisation of word-final stops in Australian English unstressed syllables. Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 1-32. 10.1017/S0025100319000045.