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From: Greg
Date: 10/18/02
Time: 10:26:57 AM
Remote Name: 68.105.255.171
Hey Mohammad,
“Speaking in a foreign accent” is just one example of how novel alterations to the pws’ normal speech production enhance fluency. Another example of the same phenomenon is if a speech therapist tells their stuttering client to use their “radio-voice” when speaking (i.e., to use a bass-heavy overly-articulate and equally unnatural style of speech). Point being, whenever a PWS significantly changes their speech production (from normal), they’re much more likely to be fluent. So in this case, my choice of “foreign” accent could be a bit misleading. Perhaps I should have said “different” or “novel” accent instead.
So if an American from the north-east spoke in a “southern” accent, it would – most likely – yield some amount of fluency enhancement. Thus, any different style of speech production (that is significantly different from the speaker’s norm) appears to enhance fluency, at least for a short time.
Personally, I don’t think this approach is an ideal form of stuttering management because the effect may eventually “adapt” (wear-off), and it requires too much cognitive and emotional energy, and is very unnatural – both in production and in perception. It’s a neat trick, but not one that I choose to use with any kind of clinical regularity.