Hearing...translating...processing..eventually replying

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Here is what happens when people talk to me, especially if I am stressed.

I hear sounds. They may or may not carry meaning. If they do not, they will just sound like sounds, and I repeat them, hoping they'll start to translate

They translate- either gradually or suddenly. Occasionally, they don't translate, or not until soem time afterwards, sometimes minutes or longer. As they translate, the picture or meaning pops into my head and the sounds now have meaning.

Then I turn the thought around or rearrange the picture and process and think about the message. Meanwhile, the person is either staring at me expectantly or has walked away or turned to another person.

Then I formulate a reply. If they subject is difficult, stressful, involved, etc, I have to take some time rehearsing it in my mind or making the pictures of my reply.

I reply. If I'm stressed or speak before I'm ready, the soudns might be all jumbled up, with words switched, etc. Frankly, a lot of the time I don't get to the speakign stage. I just roll the thoughts and replies over in my head or get distracted by some other interruption (such as the person asking me another question while I'm still working on the first one).

Sometimes the time delay is minimal. At other times, it is pronounced. Normal people find this irritating. I don't know what to do about it. I can't reply faster if I haven't translated the words yet. It isn't that I'm stupid, I'm not, but people get annoyed if you don't answer them quickly enough.

I am just the same! I've tried to explain this to others.....even using virtually the same words as you just did - this can be futile. I know they can be brutally judgmental, but some will understand. If they can allow you time for that 'Aspie pause' then you can sufficiently answer.

It's mentally translating. I do just hear sound, then words, then meaning. But this also means I carefully consider their meaning instead of hastily replying with nonsense. And that's were we have the advantage. And we're more speculative, I think, rather than judgmental.

I'm like that, but probably not quite as severe.

Sometimes I tell people I don't understand what they are saying, and they don't believe me.

My ex was a great offender even though she knew I have AS. She would ask something, and while I was still processing the information, would snap at me "Answer me you bastard!"

If the topic of conversation is familiar to me, I usually have no problem, but if it's new, I usually need time to process information and formulate responses. If it happens now, I say to people "I haven't considered that before, let me think for a moment" while I process.

I have had experiences where I heard the sound of a person's voice, but didn't process it as words. A few seconds later, he asked me for an answer. At that point I asked him what the question was, but before he could answer, I replayed the sound of his voice in my head and only then recognized the words as words and was able to answer him.

That's it: normals have a feedback loop that operates in real time between perception and behaviour.

Aspies can learn to interpose reflection between the two, but that invariably imposes a delay of a second or two - enough to disrupt "normal" behaviour patterns. If we want normal responses, we have to fight for changes in the behaviour of our "normal" colleagues.

Yeah, it's as though typpies brains are on wireless broadband, and mine's still on landline dialup.

Yes. I'm still on dial-up too. Actually, make that semaphore.

What you are describing is called Central Auditory Processing Disorder. Its somewhat common to happen with people who have Autism or Aspergers. They discovered a few years ago I have it. I was sent to the audiology dept at the hospital to test for it. Was actually an interesting test.

wouldn't a person with such a condition be seriously handicapped in learning a 2nd language?

Thanks Ticker, I didn't know it had a name. I can look it up now. I've just had a quick google and I'm sure I've got that. It reminds me of when I was at school, then work. I couldn't understand instructions unless they were written down. Always wanted to turn my ears off! Do you find that hearing actually hinders taking in information from what you see? Hard to explain really

Good homework, Ticker.

Another difference that has been called to my attention (even as of late), as far as communication differences (between AS & NT): Apparently Autists lack declarative speech - I am aware of this and the difference can be...painful!! ! Ahhh!! !

I am in the sciences so I function well - nondeclaritve speech is how we (scientists) convey. But as far as conversational speech/writing, I am at am impasse. What is termed 'small talk' or chit-chat is declarative, which is at least partly why our kind can be awkward.

I love WP and partly because our writing lacks that declarative quality that is SO apparent elsewhere; for ex: in NT speak, "Hi. How are you? Did you watch TV last night? Great! How's the family? Yes, the vacation was great! Jimmy got so tan and we bought lots of stuff. Let's do lunch, 'K? Really great to see you. Have you lost some weight? Take care."

The above is what does NOT happen on Wrong Planet (major relief)! Yuck.

This morning I did speak to another, first opening words, "Is your Reverse Osmotic pressure dropping? In my laboratory the pressure is depleted but apparently this is systemic, not isolated...concerned about the milliquant supply now. I have a pipe wrench."

See the difference?

when you say 'declarative speech', are you referring to the habit of saying something is great, as in declaring your feelings about it? This is something I've noticed I have a problem with, especially when asked my opinion of a movie, song or game.

About declarative speech (there's plenty more, but I 'copied & pasted' definiton, from online dictionary. I meant 'Declarative' in the utmost literaly way - as given below. Apparently Autists notably lack in this regard and hence our communication (with Neurotypical friends, classmates, co-workers, etc) can seem awkward or stilted.

I've been told I do not speak TO another, but AT them. This is likely true; I mostly report, not just 'chat' or talk about <insert emotion here>. Mostly I write, not speak, but my style is different enough to warrant notice, however unintentional. I know there's a far more and better explanation of 'declarative.' I guess Spock speaks in nondeclaratives, whereas the doctor & captain just find this weird. Kind of assumed as a given Spock is an Aspie......yeah. Literal meanings (=not declarative; Aspie style), not innuendoes with hidden emotive social meaning and convention (=declarative).

I am a logical being and the chattiness is truly hard. I am really shy so even harder. This is part of why:


Noun 1. declarative - a mood (grammatically unmarked) that represents the act or state as an objective fact
common mood, declarative mood, fact mood, indicative, indicative mood
modality, mood, mode - verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker
Adj. 1. declarative - relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration
asserting, declaratory
interrogatory, interrogative - relating to the use of or having the nature of an interrogation
2. declarative - relating to the mood of verbs that is used simple in declarative statements; "indicative mood"
indicative
grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)

Declarative speech? *That's* what it means? For me, that stuff is the crap you have to wade through (or skip, in my opinion, in order to get to the interesting conversation. I am no good at all at declarative speech.

I know that this is CAPD, that I have it. My BF gets irritated about it. I can't change it. He walks away while I'm still processing because he's frustrated at having to wait.