| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Mw99
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 13, 2007
Posts: 925
|
 Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject: Do you have a hard time translating thoughts into words? |
 |
|
I have a hard time translating thoughts into words. For example, if you were to ask me to define the word "parachute," using my own words, I would struggle. Here's how I would do it:
a thing that people put on before they jump out of a plane that slows their fall.
It's a poor definition and one that I am ashamed of. Not to mention that it took me over 10 seconds of intense thought to come up with it. Alas, I lack the mental capacity to give a more accurate and succint definition of a parachute, even though I can perfectly well picture it in my mind. I could memorize the definition of a parachute and regurgitate it on demand, but with hundreds of thousands of words in our language, memorization is not a feasible alternative. Here's how my dictionary defines the word "parachute:"
a device consisting of a canopy attached to a harness that is used to slow the speed at which a person or object drops from an aircraft
What a difference! First, instead of "thing," the person who wrote that dictionary entry referred to a parachute, more accurately, as a "device," but not just a "device," but a "device consisting of a canopy." I never would have connected the word "canopy" to the shape of a parachute. What's a canopy, anyway? "A covering," according to my dictionary. I wouldn't have connected "covering" to "parachute," either. Then the writer elaborated on the position the canopy occupies in relation to the rest of the parachute, while at the same time revealing other parts of the parachute: "... a canopy attached to a harness." The parachute also has a harness and to this harness the canopy is attached. All this put together: the canopy, the harness; and the canopy attached to harness, to be more specific, has a purpose: "...to slow the speed at which the person or object drops from an aircraft." The writer was smart enough to realize that parachutes could be used not only with persons but also with objects. He was also smart enough to note that the parachute slows the speed at which the person or objects "drops" from an aircraft. In this context, the word "drops" works better than "jumps," since we can't assume that the person, or thing, for that matter, "jumped" out of the aircraft. Maybe they were pushed out of the plane. And finally, the writer was careful to use the word "aircraft" instead of "plane," since it's perfectly possible to drop from some other type of flying object, such as a helicopter.
I'm not a very smart person. I lack the mental capacity to make and organize so many logical connections between my thoughts in such a small period of time.
What do you think?
Last edited by Mw99 on Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:12 pm; edited 3 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
Tim_Tex
WP's Resident Simpsons and South Park Aficionado
Joined: Jul 03, 2004
Age: 28
Posts: 20401
Location: Central Texas
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I used to, but I'm better at it.
_________________
When you need something, that's a responsibility, that only an adult...of my maturity...Bunnies!!!
~Meatwad, Aqua Teen Hunger Force |
|
| Back to top |
|
ClosetAspy
Deinonychus
Joined: Jan 17, 2008
Age: 51
Posts: 351
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:22 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| When I am stressed or tired, this happens to me a lot. I know what I want to say but I can't put it in words. My boss is on vacation right now so I have a temporary boss, whom I used to work for a few years back. Well I went to his office and he asked me a question and I stumbled so badly over the answer. I don't know if he noticed anything out of the ordinary, but I have been stressed a lot lately. I forget words and can't talk. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Odarp
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Mar 09, 2008
Age: 18
Posts: 62
Location: Mexico City
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I do, I often stutter or say the same thing over and over with lots of ummm's and erhm's
I have to stop and think what im going to say, and even then it comes kinda like what the topic creator said about the parachute.
_________________
Proud Geek and Aspie
Rubik's rock! Also does Pokemon XD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
Tohlagos
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 26, 2008
Age: 37
Posts: 925
Location: Boise, ID
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
... nearly everyday. Sometimes my mind just goes blank in the middle of a conversation and that is it. I am done. Hours latter it will come back to me, but that makes it kinda a mute point by then.
I also forget words... I can describe it, but for the life of me can't remember one, simple, little, easy word.
It is all so frustrating. I ask myself why bother trying to communicate some days.
To the OP: I am glad you posted this. Thanks. Today I was forced to talk to people and just put a real strain on me. For the most part I was ok, but a few times I started to slur and stutter and well, I might was well not bother when I get like that.
_________________
Ah yes... that hurricane of hate and anger still swirls with reckless abandon within the recess of my soul... may the peace and light in the center of that never-ending storm lead me to that promised paradise... I only have faith in what I know. |
|
| Back to top |
|
chocoholic
Velociraptor
Joined: May 22, 2008
Posts: 471
Location: At a Chocoholics Anonymous meeting
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
All the time. Having to verbalize the visual images in my brain is a daunting task just by itself at times. Sometimes I wish I could just take the images and telepathically send them to other people. Would make my life a lot easier. 
_________________
Please help end animal cruelty:
http://www.hsus.org/
http://www.aspca.org/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
grinningcat
Snowy Owl
Joined: May 12, 2008
Posts: 134
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: Do you have a hard time translating thoughts into words? |
|
|
Into spoken words, definitely. Written words come more easily to me. If I am speaking, words disappear on me. As well, when I am stressed, sometimes I will abandon one thought process altogether and go for another one that I hope I can explain better - the more stress I feel, the faster these jumps are, and woe betide those who are listening. If I am stuck on a word, no one had better be standing next to my hands - with your parachute example, I would have been drawing one above my head. Somedays with me, its a big game of charades. 
_________________
Those who don't hear the music, think the dancer quite mad.
"I don't speak girl" - Dr. Christina Yang
A locust is a grasshopper with attitude.
A barking dog is bravest in its own yard - Russian Proverb |
|
| Back to top |
|
TheMidnightJudge
autist
Joined: Mar 29, 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: New England
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Yeah I do |
|
| Back to top |
|
anthonylee
Raven
Joined: Jun 08, 2008
Age: 44
Posts: 103
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:49 pm Post subject: Do you have a hard time translating thoughts into words? |
|
|
| I do sometimes. I can visualise something acurratly but often am unable to acurratly discribe in words what I am thinking. I understand some abstract concepts visually. Often times detailed pictures, diagrams, graphs, I can understand a whole lot better and faster than some one discribing it to me in words. Also when assembling things, if the pictures are to few and not detailed, too many words I can't figure it out. It also depends on how familier I am with what some one is talking about. |
|
| Back to top |
|
DJRnold
Velociraptor
Joined: Jan 25, 2008
Age: 17
Posts: 476
Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Spoken words, not written words. But I usually think a lot more about what I'm going to write before I write it. Spoken words usually come out of me before I know what they're going to be. Sometimes I'll even mess up when I know what I'm going to say. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Lepidoptera
Blue Jay
Joined: May 10, 2008
Posts: 97
Location: Northern California
|
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: Re: Do you have a hard time translating thoughts into words? |
|
|
| Mw99 wrote: | I have a hard time translating thoughts into words. For example, if you were to ask me to define the word "parachute," using my own words, I would struggle. Here's how I would do it:
a thing that people put on before they jump out of a plane that slows their fall.
It's a poor definition and one that I am ashamed of. Not to mention that it took me over 10 seconds of intense thought to come up with it. |
I think you're being too hard on yourself. How many people can give a dictionary type definition for every word they know on demand? I'll bet it's almost no one.
When I saw the title of your post I was thinking what happens to me often. If I have a complex idea I can have trouble expressing it in words. Sometimes I'll spend a day or more mulling over a response to someone's e-mail because I can't quite find the right words to express the idea right away. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Mw99
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 13, 2007
Posts: 925
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: Do you have a hard time translating thoughts into words? |
|
|
| Lepidoptera wrote: | | Mw99 wrote: | I have a hard time translating thoughts into words. For example, if you were to ask me to define the word "parachute," using my own words, I would struggle. Here's how I would do it:
a thing that people put on before they jump out of a plane that slows their fall.
It's a poor definition and one that I am ashamed of. Not to mention that it took me over 10 seconds of intense thought to come up with it. |
I think you're being too hard on yourself. How many people can give a dictionary type definition for every word they know on demand? I'll bet it's almost no one. |
There are IQ tests where they ask you to define words. It's obvious to me that I wouldn't too well on such tests. |
|
| Back to top |
|
ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 19, 2008
Posts: 1149
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think, "a device consisting of a canopy attached to a harness that is used to slow the speed at which a person or object drops from an aircraft" is the type of response associated with a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.
I notice in this forum people diagnosed with AS, including myself, do not always respond in such a way. |
|
| Back to top |
|
Mw99
Phoenix
Joined: Sep 13, 2007
Posts: 925
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote: | I think, "a device consisting of a canopy attached to a harness that is used to slow the speed at which a person or object drops from an aircraft" is the type of response associated with a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.
I notice in this forum people diagnosed with AS, including myself, do not always respond in such a way. |
So it could be that there are lots of fake aspies on this forum. Interesting. |
|
| Back to top |
|
ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
Phoenix
Joined: Jun 19, 2008
Posts: 1149
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Mw99 wrote: | | So it could be that there are lots of fake aspies on this forum. Interesting. |
I don't think they are fake. I don't think every Aspie uses technical jargon 100% of the time. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
