The Speech of Mentally Retarded Adults in a Dyadic Communication Situation: Some Formal and Informative Aspects

The conversations between a group of moderately and severely mentally handicaped adults and a familiar nonhandicap adult were recorded in a dyadic communication situation. The analysis concentrated on the formal as well as on the informative aspects of the speech produced by the retarded adults. It appears that despite severe formal limitations the speech of the retarded adults has informative value. They are capable of assuming in turn the roles of speaker and receiver in the conversation. Also the themes discussed are varied and the conversation proceeds regularly without breakdowns or major discontinuities.