Posted by notfred on November 22, 2006, at 0:41:01
I wonder what difficulties a person with Asperger's (AS) might encounter on an internet forum, due to their unique understanding of language and interests ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome
AS is characterized by:
* Limited interests or preoccupation with a subject to the exclusion of other activities;
* Repetitive behaviors or rituals;
* Peculiarities in speech and language;
* Socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior and interpersonal interaction;
* Problems with nonverbal communication;Speech and language differences
People with AS typically have a highly pedantic way of speaking, using a far more formal register of language than appropriate for a context. A five-year-old child with this condition may regularly speak in language that could easily have come from a university textbook, especially concerning his or her special area of interest.[20]
Literal interpretation is another common, but not universal hallmark of this condition. Attwood gives the example of a girl with AS who answered the telephone one day and was asked, "Is Paul there?" Although the Paul in question was in the house, he was not in the room with her, so after looking around to ascertain this, she simply said "no" and hung up. The person on the other end had to call back and explain to her that he meant for her to find him and get him to pick up the telephone.[21]
poster:notfred
thread:706053
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20061018/msgs/706053.html