A bakhtinian perspective of language and autism: a case study

Abstract

Introduction: Autism, currently referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a condition that has intrigued scholars and researchers since its earliest reports by Kanner and Asperger in the 1940s. Given that one of its main traits is related to difficulties with interaction, this study begins with an analysis of a clinical case of an autistic subject in order to understand the unique way in which he and his interlocutor locate themselves in dialogic interaction. Methods: The research subject is a 7-year-old boy who has had a diagnosis of mild autism since the age of two, in attendance at the Speech, Language and Hearing Welfare Centre at the Federal University of Bahia (Centro Docente Assistencial de Fonoaudiologia da Universidade Federal da Bahia). The dialogue excerpts present in his attendance chart were analyzed from a Bakhtinian theoretical perspective, which addresses the, always historically located, utterance as a unit of analysis. Discussion: Based on our data analysis, it was possible to see a child who, within the limits of his condition, assumes the role of a subject, understanding that he is totally immersed in language and that he, therefore, mobilizes different linguistic resources in order to achieve his discursive intention. Conclusion: Finally, this study proposes a repositioning of the way in which Speech, Language and Hearing Services have traditionally viewed autistic subjects, moving from the given or ready-made, towards the singular, full of possibilities and potential.