Understanding Language

Self-Portrait

Mona Brooks

Psycheldic Self-Portrait

Angela Weddle

In My Language by Mel Baggs

Visit Mel's blog and YouTube channel.

"My language is not about designing words or even visual symbols for people to interpret. It is about being in a constant conversation with every aspect of my environment"

Too Much

By Tyler Ford

do you remember the first time you were called annoying?

how your breath stopped short in your chest

the way the light drained from your eyes, though you knew your cheeks were ablaze

the way your throat tightened as you tried to form an argument that got lost on your tongue?

your eyes never left the floor that day.

you were 13.

you’re 20 now, and i still see the light fade from your eyes when you talk about your interests for “too long,”

apologies littering every other sentence,

words trailing off a cliff you haven’t jumped from in 7 years.

i could listen to you forever, though i know speaking for more than 3 uninterrupted minutes makes you anxious.

all i want you to know is that you deserve to be heard

for 3 minutes

for 10 minutes

for 2 hours

forever.

there will be people who cannot handle your grace, your beauty, your wisdom, your heart;

mostly because they can’t handle their own. but you will never be

and have never been

“too much.”

"What needs to change is the expectation that all the words will be spoken aloud, that all the words can be spoken aloud, that the words which are spoken aloud somehow mean more.”

-Alyssa Hillary, "A Teacher Who Types More", in Typed Words Loud Voices

(Sequenzia, A. & Grace, E. J., 2015, p. 25)

"Why do you echo questions back at the asker?

To make myself understood, it’s like i have to speak in an unknown foreign language, every minute of every day.”

-Naoki Higashida, The Reason I Jump

(Higashida, 2016, p. 13)

Today Typing Saved My String

by Mike from his blog, In My Voice: Journal of an Autist

"My string is being held captive by my Mom, her idea of punishment for my snapping her broom. It was an impulsive action on my part, one I have repeated to her horror and my shame many times. Let me explain. Some things call out to be done. Obsession sets in until the deed is complete. Snapping is one of them; sticks, brooms, anything that makes a snapping sound. It is a horrible choice - to snap or be hounded in the thought of it. My punishment I deserve. I was warned. But it does to me nothing positive in solving my dilemma. Only removing the item from sight helps. Each time I try to hide it my snap reflex beats me. Can you help with ideas? Mom says we will practice putting the broom away - but first she'll need to buy a new broom. I am sorry for its loss, but more sorry for my loss of string. Good thing Mom understood and let me have my string back when I type and explain it. Typing has its uses; to tell is one of them. To tell is a start to understanding."

(emphasis added)

“My speech really just bulges out of my mouth like a balloon, and the real thoughts in my head just keep on a direct line. The direct line and the balloon are related, but they do not correspond, and the more the balloon bulges, the less sense it makes, until it bursts, leaving all my thoughts scattered, and me wild with anger and shame.”

Understanding Autism