The Pace of Articulation and Pace of Speech in Cases of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

This work discusses the subject of the pace of speech among people affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Referring to published studies, experimental research, quantitative calculations and their statistical verification with the use of the Shapiro–Wilk and Mann–Whitney tests, the tempo of formation of word utterances with this disease is indicated. In conducting an analysis and description of the articulation rate as well as the speaking rate, determining the speed at which people suffering from Alzheimer’s speak, the following detailed parameters were evaluated: average share of pauses in utterances (number + percentage data), average duration of all pauses (s), average duration of appropriate pauses (s), average duration of filled pauses (s), average duration of partially filled pauses (s). The results were compared with norms determined for the Polish language on an ontolinguistic basis. The obtained results were also referred analogically to those obtained in the group of people physically aging. Additionally, in aiming to achieve a broader research perspective, the results were compared with results obtained among autistic and intellectually disabled people.