Semantic Aspects of Aphasic Word Substitution

1. Goal of the study The aim of this study is to describe and discuss word replacements found in the speech of aphasic patients in relation to existing theories and studies, focusing on: 1) a classification of word substitutions especially with regard to semantic factors 2) a possible multidimensionality in word substitutions 3) how context, especially type of spoken interaction, is related to word substitutions 4) the possible influence of word frequency on word substitution s 5) what kinds of semantic (morphological) features pertain to the relation between replacement word and target word in a word substitution 6) the relationship between word replacements and aphasia. A more complete version of the paper also exists, cf Allwood & Ahlsen 1986). 2. Previous studies of aphasic word substitutions The terms word replacement and word substitution will in the following be used synonymously to cover all word finding problems where one or several words have replaced a word that the aphasic cannot find (we have not studied replacements of target phrases). These terms do not imply any interpretation of what processes cause the replacement, i.e. if it is an "error" (wrong choice, lack of inhibition of alternatives etc) or a "strategy" (a goal directed procedure which in this case could