paraphasia
Pronunciation: pair-ah-FAY-zee-ah
Speech errors involving the substitution of incorrect words or sounds, commonly seen in aphasia syndromes.
Full Definition
Paraphasia refers to speech errors characterized by the unintended substitution of words or sounds during spontaneous speech or naming tasks. There are several types: semantic paraphasias involve word substitutions within the same category (saying 'spoon' for 'fork'), phonemic paraphasias involve sound substitutions within words ('gat' for 'cat'), and neologistic paraphasias create nonexistent words. Paraphasias are hallmark features of various aphasia syndromes, particularly Wernicke's aphasia and conduction aphasia. The pattern and type of paraphasic errors help localize brain lesions and guide speech therapy interventions. Severe paraphasias can render speech incomprehensible despite fluent output.
Usage
Usage note: Specify the type of paraphasia (semantic, phonemic, or neologistic) when documenting.
In Context
- "The patient's speech contained frequent semantic paraphasias, substituting related but incorrect words." — Speech pathology evaluation
- "Phonemic paraphasias were noted during confrontation naming tasks." — Aphasia assessment