Idioglossia

Idioglossia

Idioglossia refers to an idiosyncratic language, one invented and spoken by only one or a very few people. Most often, idioglossia refers to the private languages of young children, especially twins. It is also known as cryptophasia, and commonly referred to as twin talk or twin speech.

Children who are exposed to multiple languages from birth are also inclined to create idioglossias, but these languages usually disappear at a relatively early age, giving way to use of one or both of the languages introduced.

Examples

Case studies

* June and Jennifer Gibbons
* Kennedy twins of San Diego, California, who were subjected to intensive study, including an exhaustive analysis of their language. (they named themselves "Poto and Cabengo")

Media

* The 1994 film "Nell", starring Jodie Foster, depicts a woman who speaks an idioglossia. The stage play on which it is based is also called "Idioglossia".
* The concept album "The Perfect Element, part I", by Pain of Salvation, is centered around a song "Idioglossia".

Further reading

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • idioglossia — ˌidēəˈgläsēə, lȯs noun ( s) Etymology: New Latin, from idio + glossia : a condition in which the affected person pronounces his words so badly as to seem to speak a language of his own * * * idioglottic /id ee euh glot ik/, adj. /id ee euh glos… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Idioglossia (play) — Idioglossia is a play by Mark Handley about a girl who grows up without modern culture learning how to speak. It was first performed in 1992 at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey. [cite news | first = Alvin | last = Klein |… …   Wikipedia

  • idioglossia — idioglottic /id ee euh glot ik/, adj. /id ee euh glos ee euh, glaw see euh/, n. 1. a private form of speech invented by one child or by children who are in close contact, as twins. 2. a pathological condition characterized by speech so distorted… …   Universalium

  • idioglossia — noun An invented form of dialect, language, or speech used by children, typically twins, and intelligible only to its speakers. Syn: cryptophasia, idiolalia See Also: idioglottic, twin speech, twin talk …   Wiktionary

  • idioglossia — An extreme form of lalling or vowel or consonant substitution, by which the speech of a child may be made unintelligible and appear to be another language to one who does not have the key to the literal changes. [idio + G. glossa, tongue, speech] …   Medical dictionary

  • idioglossia — i·dio·glos·sì·a s.f. TS med., psic. emissione di suoni privi di senso e inarticolati, spec. in presenza di stati confusionali e in episodi acuti di malattie mentali {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: sec. XX. ETIMO: comp. di idio e glossia …   Dizionario italiano

  • idioglossia — pl.f. idioglossie …   Dizionario dei sinonimi e contrari

  • idioglossia — n. form of language created by small children for use between themselves (especially by twins) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • idioglossia — id·io·glos·sia …   English syllables

  • idioglossia —   n. secret speech or language, especially invented by children; psychological condition in which speech is so distorted as to be unintelligible …   Dictionary of difficult words

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