Bakhtin’s Enunciative-Discursive Perspective and Language Analysis in Speech and Language Therapy

Abstract

The entrance of human sciences into Speech Therapy research in Brazil can still be considered recent. Research methodologies used in this area tend to adhere to methods that are more quantitative than qualitative. The goal of this study is to discuss the conceptual basis of Bakhtin’s enunciative-discursive theory and its practical implementation for Speech and Language Pathology Therapy. For this purpose, we present dialogical episodes analyzed in light of Bakhtin’s perspective. The results show that, when social, cultural and subjective aspects are taken into account, this kind of analysis may bring new insights to understanding linguistic processes and the various possibilities of language as far as pathologies are concerned. Thus, one may not only understand language holistically, but also envisage strategies that subjects with and without pathologies employ to maintain their status as speakers/authors.