The aphasia therapeutic process: implications of enunciative-discursive neurolinguistics

ABSTRACT Enunciative-Discursive Neurolinguistics aims to investigate the relationship between language and brain considering the sociohistorical and cultural context in which the subject is immersed. In this perspective, speech and language therapy for aphasias proposes situations where aphasic patients can experience the reversibility of the discursive role inherent to the social use of language. The aim of this paper is to present linguistic strategies used by an aphasic subject (case study) during the therapeutic process in a Speech and Language Clinic of a private Brazilian university, illustrating practical examples of the Enunciative-Discursive Neurolinguistics assumptions. Therapy sessions were recorded and analyzed under an enunciative-discursive aspect and underpinned by the Literacy theory. Thus, clinical episodes were based on interactive situations related to the subject's historical context. Analysis showed that, during the dialogical interaction, the subject used not only the verbal modality to achieve an effective communication, but he also used gestures and other semiotic resources. In addition, it was observed that not only the subject's position in the interaction was important to the construction of his enunciation, but also the listener/therapist's stance (attention and responsive attitude) interferes collaboratively on subject/patient's enunciation chain. The conclusion is that the use of intersubjective activities as well as the consideration of verbal and nonverbal strategies during the interaction may expand aphasic patients' discursive linguistics possibilities since they are placed, in the interaction, as a discourse subject, therefore, able to act upon language.