Information structure in the speech of individuals with schizophrenia

Abstract

This paper focuses on information structure in the speech of individuals with schizophrenia, according to the theoretical framework found in the Language into Act Theory. A specific textual structure, called stanza, and its informational complexity, have been compared using two corpora: the C-ORAL-ESQ for pathological speech, and the C-ORAL-BRASIL for non-pathological speech. Firstly, we briefly explain the theory and the concept of stanza. Then, we explain in depth the methodology adopted for comparing pathological and non-pathological speech, using the two corpora. Additionally, we discuss the results found, part of which have statistical significance. Finally, we propose a first explanation of the results, focusing on cognitive and prosodic aspects that could provide insights for further research.