Practical Aspects of Clinical Linguistics

Language plays a crucial role in organizing social life. Problems with language use cause a person to be alienated from the mainstream of society. This is where the Clinical Linguistics comes in handy to address various types of language impairments. The subject of this dissertation is the practical aspects of clinical linguistics that help individuals regain language proficiency through the diagnosis, analysis, and treatment of language problems. Here we analyze the origin and growth of this study, a sub-discipline of applied linguistics, the activities carried out by this branch of linguistics for linguistic problem solving, and their methodology. Clinical linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of study that combines different scientific disciplines such as linguistics, psychology, speech and language pathology, neuroscience, and education. This field of study, which identifies and suggests solutions to problems in language structure, language use, and communication, is very relevant in practical life. Since errors in communication through language can negatively affect an individual’s intellectual and social development, such errors need to be identified and corrected early. The field of study known as clinical linguistics becomes effective when the various branches of linguistics are appropriately utilized in the medical field. Linguistic elements such as language structure, phonology, syntax, semantics, and practical approaches are utilized in clinical linguistics. Linguistic knowledge is applied in the medical field to assess and diagnose language disorders and prescribe appropriate treatment. All of these issues are analyzed in this paper. The scope of this study also includes the relevance of implementing clinical linguistics principles in contemporary society, especially in the educational process as the teachers are the ones who can anticipate students’ linguistic problems and suggest appropriate solutions. This paper also discusses the importance of providing them with the necessary training. Only if the concepts related to clinical linguistics, which are rapidly growing worldwide, are applied in the Kerala context, will their benefits reach the new generation. Based on this understanding, this study addresses the need for the Kerala community to embrace such timely and innovative fields of study and the means to do so.