In today's Tribune was an article about the movie, "The King's Speech," which portrays King George the VI. He hadn't aspired to be king, but was elevated to the role. He also had a "debilitating stammer, as the English prefer to call it,..." the article says.

I tried to find the difference between stammer and stutter. There is a difference, though it is subtle, and I have seen them used interchangeably sometimes. I see a stammer as more of a hesitation when speaking, whereas a stutter is repeated attempts at saying the first syllable of a word.

Do you use them differently? Is there an British/American difference with this word?

I tend the think of stuttering (link) as affecting syllables (parts of words) and stammering as affecting whole words or phrases.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

What z said.

I guess that's the way I think of it, too. I am wondering what our English or Canadian members think.

quote:

Originally posted by zmježd:
I tend the think of stuttering (link) as effecting syllables ... .

effecting?

effecting?

It's been a long year, and today I went back and changed this from affecting to effecting for some reason. I've changed it back and hope you'll forgive me ...

If one sings, the stutter may go away; not so the stammer.

It reminds me of the famous stammerkat. When it saw a rottwieler leap the fence and head right at it, it said, "Shhh," shhh, shhh..." and never got the "it" out before being devoured.

quote:

I've changed it back and hope you'll forgive me ...

I am sure Shu was just playing with you.