16 January 2009

secret #5

I have a speech impediment.

Not to many people know this about me, but its been a problem for me my entire life. Before I started grade school I would go to a speech pathologist twice a week, to try and fix the problem. And after seeing one for over six years the problem has mostly been fixed.

This is actually one of the main reasons why IV and I were so close when we were younger. IV also has a speech impediment, but his is different from mine. Its not really a problem for me anymore, but there are times when I have to stop. Take a breath. And restate what I was trying to say.

I guess the biggest effect it has had on my life would be that fact that I don't use my first name because of it. My speech impediment is with "r" words and the "er" sound. Instead of saying water or cheater I would say watah or cheetah. And if a word started with a "r" when I said it, the sound would come out as a "w" which is why I never use my first name.

To this day I still cannot say it without sounding like a London bloke., which is very difficult in college. While my professors in my lecture classes may no me by my first name, I have to texplain to my partners why I write one name, but use another.

3 comments:

Guardactor said...

could you just use your middle name instead? One of my friends hates her first name so she just tells people her middle name.

i also have trouble with r words. When i was a child I could never say girl instead i would always say "grrils. I went to a speech therapist once but my parents kinda gave up on me.

J said...

Yea I go by my middle name, but since i have lecture classes with like 200 people its harder to get the teacher to understand that I dont use my first name.

Aek said...

Wait, so your first name doesn't start with a J? o.O?