#semiverbal community

[thecouncil-aac]

Have a question, probably a silly one...

Is it possible to become non/semi-verbal?

Not in the misusing terms way -> "going nonverbal" / calling speech loss episodes semi-verbal / ect

But being verbal/mostly verbal for most of your life, then developing a disorder that permanently affects your cognitive functioning and speech capabilities

Would that be non/semi-verbal or another term?

I don't want to disrespect or appropriate terms...

I know being nonverbal/semiverbal is a permanent state, not something that is temporary/episodic (like speech loss episodes/vocal resting/ect), but is it a permanent state from birth or something that can be acquired later in life?

Thank you for any/all answers <3

[autisticdreamdrop]

hyperverbal autistic ✅️ valid

fully verbal autistic ✅️ valid

verbal autsitic with verbal loss ✅️ valid

semiverbal autistic ✅️ valid

nonverbal autistic ✅️ valid

[tontoemojis]

it ’ s name is machine { AAC device } , & she is mine !!! 🌈

objects have feelings & personalities & think & talk , for me . Machine is one of my best friends since it does a lot for me to help me interact with humans . She uses she / he / it pronouns & she is amazing !!! .

I added to it some accessories like pins to the strap , stickers & a card that informs people about my machine usage { took inspo from @vixdesl ’ s , hello friend !!! } , all of those are new .

✌️🌞🎨

[spooksforsammy]

The idea that aac fixes everything for everyone is kinda annoying. Because most nonverbal nonspeaking semiverbal people’s speech problems root further from just verbal voice.

Not understanding have right communicate. Not understanding how work. Not understanding how to say what feel or want or think. Not understanding certain words or phrases so say one thing and mean another. Many have speech or communication disorders, it’s not just the inability to speak, aac won’t fix everything for everyone.

Even if some get aac, an option to communicate, they just can’t. Sometimes no matter how much want to, just can’t.

[cutiepieautistic]

Communication aids

×/× ×/× ×/×

[neuroticboyfriend]

this is from the last post i reblogged, but here are alternatives to "going nonverbal" or "going nonspeaking:"

verbal shutdown

loss of speech / speech loss

situational speech loss

if anyone knows any others, feel free to add on. if you don't understand why alternatives are needed, please see the linked post; it's a long one which is why i made another post with the alternatives, but even just reading part of it shows you why.

be kind to your neurodivergent and disabled peers.

[thecoffeecrew404]

Reblog/Comment on this if your tumblr is about aac, if you use aac to make your posts, have any aac based social media's, or know of any creators who do

Namely where we can see the actual aac! Video, screenshots, resources links

Anything AAC

ALSO AAC DISCORD SERVERS/COMMUNITY CHATS PLEASE!!!

[pxppet]

Mutism/Nonspeaking Awareness Flag

I, like many others, suffer from mutism due to a physical disability. Every flag I've seen for the nonspeaking and nonverbal community is based in autism and related issues, without representation for those of us who are nonspeaking for reasons such as being a cancer survivor, schizophrenia, muscle tension dysphonia, spasmodic dysphonia, aphrasia, brain damage, etc. and related conditions. There are a large variety of conditions that I rarely see representation for, and this flag is for us.

The white stripes represents hope for a more accepting future for nonspeaking and mute people.

The purple stripes represents entirely nonspeaking people.

The blue stripes represents AAC and sign language users.

The green stripes represents people with fluctuating levels of verbality.

The yellow stripe represents community and the way we have each other's backs in this struggle.

The symbol is a vague representation of the lack of a voice. I couldn't decide which one looked better so feel free to use either.

[puppunkz]

grain ,,, whiteboard doodles

[boyswillbedogz]

wolf themed communication cards i made for myself :)

[autisticdreamdrop]

nonverbal communication is valid communication

[tontoemojis]

hey rats 🪳 ... looking at you with my pretty only working eye ... guess who is a YouTuber now !!!!

⬆️ made my very first video using my machine { AAC device } & I also talked about a topic . hope you enjoy watching it !!!

[themogaidragon]

Verbal Stance And Disability Pride Flags

PT: Verbal Stance And Disability Pride Flags /end PT

Nonverbal

PT: Nonverbal /end PT

Nonverbal: extremely severely to profoundly struggling to verbalise, total inability to use verbalization, ever, or nearly total inability to verbalise, inability to verbalise more than a few utterances, words, part of phrases, etc. Might entirely rely on AAC.

Original nonverbal flag by @pupyzu. Original post here (link).

Semiverbal

PT: Semiverbal /end PT

Semiverbal: moderately to severely struggling to or being hardly able to verbalise most to all of the time. This includes frequently or consistently: taking awhile to formulate verbalization, having a restricted, limited verbalization, etc. Only verbalising in specific circumstances, familiar situations, about familiar topics or for specific purposes, etc. Being mostly/fully able to verbalise but struggling significantly to do so, etc. Having shortened, partial, repetitive, misplaced, forgotten, garbled, incorrect, mashed-up, inintelligible, made-up verbalization, etc. Might predominately to drastically rely on AAC.

Original semiverbal flag by @pupyzu. Original post here (link).

Hemiverbalflux

PT: Hemiverbalflux /end PT

Hemiverbalflux: variably struggling to verbalise, from mildly, moderately to severely. Verbalization fluctuating in intensity but always within the borders of semiverbal and demiverbal. Struggles with verbalization vary in intensity, sometimes severe, unable to form coherent verbalization or to verbalise without extreme difficulty for weeks to sometimes mild, able to verbalise well, reliably for a few days, etc. Verbalization loss vary in length, frequency, sometimes being a few times a month or week, to every day. Lasting for a few minutes or hours, to days, happening often or over long periods. Fluctuations can be random or have causes. Hemiverbal can also be used on its own as a separate term to mean bordering/being somewhere between semiverbal and demiverbal. Might regularly to mostly rely on AAC.

Original hemiverbalflux term and flag by @jet-voidrock. Original post here (link).

Demiverbal

PT: Demiverbal /end PT

Demiverbal: mildly struggling to verbalise, half of the time, most of the time, to all of the time. Verbalization loss might happen anywhere from a multiple times a day, to a few times a month. Possibly for no apparent reason, a mix of reasons or a variety of reasons. May experience slight difficulty only a little of the time, half of the time, to all of the time with speaking, articulating, complex language usage, forming concepts, etc. Might mildly to regularly rely on AAC.

Original demiverbal flag by @lilqu33rboi. Original post here (link).

Verbalflux

PT: Verbalflux /end PT

Verbalflux: variably struggling to verbalise. Being able to verbalise, fluctuating at any intensity, difficulty, length, frequency and at any given time. Struggles and inability to use verbalization vary in intensity, length and frequency. Fluctuations can be random or have causes and can happen often or over long periods of time. Might periodically rely on AAC.

Original verbalflux flag by @pupyzu. Original post here (link).

Choiceverbal

PT: Choiceverbal /end PT

Choiceverbal: willingly not using verbalization, being able to verbalise (fullverbal, demiverbal, semiverbal, majorityverbal...), but choosing not to verbalise much or at all. Can be for any reason, including but not limited to: Being uncomfortable or disliking verbalising, being verbal-adverse, lack of understanding of social cues, etc. Might partially or entirely use intentionally AAC.

Term coined by @schizophrenicbulbasaur in this post (link). Original choiceverbal flag by @lilqu33rboi. Original post here (link).

Fullverbal

PT: Fullverbal /end PT

Fullverbal: being fully able to verbalise fluently and effectively, across a wide range of contexts. Having the ability to construct complete, grammatically correct verbalization, engage in complex conversations about various topics, etc. Demonstrating good control over vocabulary, tone, speech, pace and conversational nuances, permitting to express a broad spectrum of thoughts, emotions, and ideas. Might hardly ever rely on AAC.

Original verbal flag by @pupyzu. Original post here (link).

Hyperverbal

PT: Hyperverbal /end PT

Hyperverbal: being fully able to verbalise and, whether by choice or on accident, exhibiting an excessive or unusually high level of verbalization. Verbalising at length and with great detail about various topics, often dominating conversations. This can include rapid verbalization, above average verbal capacities, advanced vocabulary, logorrhea, frequent interruptions, an overwhelming amount of information shared, etc. Might have the ability to engage in discussions on multiple subjects, but communication can sometimes be overwhelming for others and may lack focus or relevance to the ongoing conversation. Might hardly ever rely on AAC.

Original hyperverbal flag by @pupyzu. Original post here (link).

Additional Informations

PT: Additional Informations /end PT

Verbal stances are descriptive of everyday reality, they shouldn't be used to describe verbality during brief, unusual circumstances (ex: short-lived shutdown, panic attack, aphasia, etc). Refering a small verbal loss episode as going nonverbal, refering a transient aphasia as going semiverbal, and similar misusage, is improper and incorrect. Verbality can change during a lifetime for a lot of reasons but is qualifying long-term, long lasting verbality. If verbalization fluctuates a lot, verbalflux might be used.

Plenty of terms can be used to refer to shutdowns and similar experiences. Losing words, losing speech, speech loss, speech loss episode, verbal shutdown, verbal crash...

Selective/situational mutism is often used interchangeably with shutdown, which is an incorrect usage. SM is a diagnosable anxiety disorder which causes the person an inability to speak in specific social situations, specific places, or to specific people if a certain condition is triggered.

I've made the definitions by combining multiple definitions I've seen over internet since I struggle to formulate working on my own. They aren't carved in stone, just an attempt to define those. Even though AAC usage and verbality usually coincide, it's not always the case, ence why I've putted 'might' use AAC.

Most people don't make the distinction between -verbal and -speaking stances while some might make a distinction. In that particular case, -verbal would describe language ability, while -speaking would describe speech abiliy. For example, nonverbal would mean not having language whereas nonspeaking would refer to the inability to use speech to communicate. Considering that an overwhelming majority of people don't make distinctions and that terms exist to describe the verbality components distinctively, I've chosen not to do such distinctions in this post and use the broad term of verbality.

Descriptives of verbality components:

-lexic refers to the ability to use, comprehend, process language (link), while -speaking refers to the usage of speech and -vocal refers to a system's headmate verbality (link), whereas -scribal refer to the ability to produce written or typed language, whilst -communicative refers to the ability to communicate.

It's up to the individual (or close relatives when the individual isn't able to do that by themselves) to choose how they wish to identify, according to their preferences, what fits the best, what is more practical, etc. It is a personal preference.

I've made these flags since the original designs all have a solid white infinity symbol on them, which problematic since it's already a the recognised symbol for Métis (link) and also confusing since these terms aren't exclusive to neurodivergent people.

[dreamdropsystem]

Julia say: ALL AAC USERS ARE VALID!!

[thecouncil-aac]

Council put together bag to help disabilities

Has AAC device, going add AAC binder when done and AAC cards when have sturdy ring connector

Have emotional support stuffed animal, inhaler, first aid kit

Sensory/stim toys, ear plugs, and going add compression socks and wrist braces

Lots of small things that help with miscellaneous disorder/conditions

Going decorate bag instead of jacket for punk because jacket harder to do and need practice, so do bag first

Make handmade pins from bottle caps and soda tabs and paint and glue (upside down one is neurodivergent infinity symbol being glued)

Going get/make patches and learn how sew too

Pins on floor - holothere/anchor delta/physical nonhuman symbol, plural rings symbol, psywiggle symbol

Have more bottle cap to make pins, not sure what do next... maybe anarchy A, if headmates okay with (knows Seth big agree...)

[thecoffeecrew404]

Reblog this post with information on ANY AAC resources <3

Apps, boards, cards, etc