On Agrammatism and Telegram Style: An Exemplifying Discussion of Swedish Data

Abstract

The characterization of agrammatic speech as telegram style is discussed in relation to an exemplifying comparison of linguistic structures and determining activity factors in a Swedish database of agrammatic speech and simulated telegrams. The strong claim that telegram style is a specific register that is also used by agrammatic aphasics does not find support in the data. Features of agrammatic speech that can be in line with a more vague and metaphorical use of the term telegram style are pointed out.