Epäsujuvuutta

Epäsujuvuutta, a Finnish term, translates directly to "disfluency" in English. It broadly refers to disruptions in the smooth flow of speech. These disruptions can manifest in various ways and are a common aspect of human communication.

Common types of speech disfluencies include repetitions, where a sound, syllable, or word is repeated, such as "w-w-where are you going?" Hesitations, marked by pauses or filler words like "um" or "uh," are another form of epäsujuvuutta. Prolongations, where a sound is stretched out, like "ssssso nice," also fall under this category. Interjections, such as adding "like" or "you know" into a sentence, can also be considered disfluencies. Finally, revisions or abandoned utterances, where a speaker changes their mind mid-sentence and starts over, are also a type of speech disfluency.

While often associated with speech disorders like stuttering, disfluencies are a normal occurrence for most speakers. They can be influenced by factors such as anxiety, fatigue, cognitive load, or simply the natural process of formulating thoughts and language. The frequency and type of disfluency can vary significantly from person to person and even within the same person depending on the context. Understanding epäsujuvuutta helps in appreciating the complexities of spoken language and the natural variations in human speech patterns.