Clinical pragmatics - Benita Rae Smith

In linguistic terms "pragmatics" covers the whole area of language use and communication in action. It includes the way in which language, gestures and other signals used in everyday situations are applied to patients suffering with impaired communication.;This book explores the changes which have taken place over the past 20 years in the study of language and communication. Discourse analysis and pragmatics provide a way of exploring communication success and failure and are important concepts for health care professionals working with communication disability.;The text relates discourse analysis and pragmatics to the study of speech pathology and the practice of speech therapy. A practical book, it offers guidance to thos working with the language handicapped and includes ideas tested in clinical settings. Case studies and examples are used throughout.;This book should be a valuable source of information for undergraduate and graduate students of speech pathology, clinicians and researchers, special needs teachers and psychologists and anyone with an interest in communicative ability/disability.