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From: Vivian Sisskin
Date: 07 Oct 2009
Time: 17:01:43 -0500
Remote Name: 129.2.24.10
Pam, Hmmmm.. the question then becomes, What do you do when the listener fills in a word you did NOT intend? I guess we can call them “listener word substitutions”! Do you let it go by, say the word you intended after the fact, or take the opportunity to “advertise” a bit? All 3 options are good choices based on the situation and whether or not the PWS decides that this is high-stakes communication (where the topic of stuttering does not need to surface), or a low-feared situation (with a friend or family member). An opportunity to advertise one’s identity as a PWS, if seized with enthusiasm, can go a long way toward changing both the speaker’s and the listener’s perception of the problem. A positive tone in the advertisement, done in the right company with the right attitude (for example, “Hey, I stutter… I’m the one who is usually doing the word substitution!”) can sometimes neutralize negative attitudes for both listener and speaker.