Language

I can’t say what’s on the tip of my tongue

We all rely on speaking and hearing speech throughout the day, both directly from friends, family and other people and also electronically through the TV and radio. People with MS talk about getting “words muddled up”, or that “words come out wrong”, or “I talk but my mouth won’t make the words”. It can be very disturbing to discover that your usually effortless communication has become less reliable. Difficulties can feel very public. However, the good news is that most people with MS do not experience major language difficulties. Language problems tend to be at the level of irritation and embarrassment, rather than a major handicap. They are much less obvious to those around you, than they are to you.

Tips and Tricks

• Everyone makes slips of the tongue and gets stuck for a word now and again. Don’t be over critical of yourself if this happens to you. The chances are that the people around you will not think that you have a particular problem.
• If a word is on the tip of your tongue, don’t tense up or panic. Stress will make it harder to get it out. Instead, either use another word or words to say what you need to, if possible. If it is a specific name or place where another word won’t do, just say “I’ll come back to that”.
• If you are going to a family party or work meeting, where you expect to find people’s names hard to remember, plan in advance. You could write the work people’s names on the agenda or a piece of card and refer to it just before the meeting (or during, if necessary). Before a family party, run through who will be there with someone else and rehearse the difficult names in advance. Your partner or spouse may be able to greet people first, using their name, to give you a cue.
• If a person has a name that is easy to turn into a picture, you may find visualising them in a scene related to their name helps you remember. For example, Mr Smith could be imagined as a blacksmith hammering a horseshoe. This will link their face to the word “smith”. This approach can take a bit of practise, but some books describe it in detail.
• If you need to speak to a group, for example at work or making a speech at a wedding, you will probably find it helpful to plan what you are going to say in advance and prepare prompt cards with bullet points. Even if you have been able to speak without notes in the past, it is an insurance policy to practise and prepare notes in advance. This will help overcome pauses and “drying up”.

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