What is Speech Pathology?

Communication is the exchange of information, the sending and receiving of messages. It is a two-way interaction and requires participation of a sender and a receiver. A message is encoded, transmitted and decoded. Communication breakdowns can occur if either party has difficulty performing their role. If the sender does not speak clearly or intelligibly, his/her message may not be received. If the sender does not use language appropriately, in a meaningful way, the message may not be received. If the receiver has a hearing impairment, an oral/spoken message may not be received. If the receiver has difficulty understanding language, they may not be able to decode the message.

Language is a shared code or system that represents concepts and ideas through the use of arbitrary symbols. It is rule-governed and shared by a given community. Typically, we use oral and written language to communicate. Other types of language include sign language, Blissymbol communication and pic-syms.

Speech is a motor act. It is the production of sounds in meaningful combinations by the lips, tongue, teeth, palate, vocal cords, and lungs for communication.