phonemic paraphasia
Speech error involving sound substitutions within words, characteristic of certain types of aphasia.
Full Definition
Phonemic paraphasia is a type of speech error in which sounds (phonemes) within words are substituted, omitted, added, or transposed, resulting in words that sound similar to the intended target but are incorrect. For example, 'table' might be produced as 'tabel' or 'gable.' These errors are distinguished from semantic paraphasias, which involve word substitutions within the same category. Phonemic paraphasias are commonly associated with Broca's aphasia and conduction aphasia, and their presence helps neurologists and speech pathologists localize brain lesions and plan appropriate therapy interventions.
Usage
Usage note: Contrast with semantic paraphasias in clinical documentation; both are types of paraphasic errors.
In Context
- "The patient's phonemic paraphasias included 'spork' for 'fork' and 'dat' for 'cat.'" — Language assessment documentation
- "High frequency phonemic paraphasias suggested damage to left hemisphere language areas." — Neuropsychological evaluation summary