Language and aging: normal and pathological aspects

Abstract

In general, discussions on elderly people’s language take into account the pathological processes of aging, such as aphasia or dementia. The study of language changes during normal aging is still very incipient. The purpose of this article is to discuss the profile of elderly people’s language determined by a methodology that leaves aside elderly people’s heterogeneity of linguistic and cognitive performance. Such methodology suggests a decline in the elderly language and communication. Longitudinal research is indicated to emphasize not a decline, but differences and changes in language derived from normal, healthy aging.