Published Article

ABSTRACT Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder, which negatively affects the entire personality of an individual including the speech. This paper, therefore, examined the pattern of language use by the schizophrenic patients in the Amaudo Home for the Destitute with a view to noting that early identification and intervention can increase the chances for recovery and even prevent warning signs of psychosis from progressing. The data were collected primarily through interviews, and direct observation of 9 schizophrenic patients (subjects) with deviant communication patterns in the home. Using a descriptive method of data analysis, the paper observed that the patients have problems in understanding the communication content of others; they rarely respond and participate in conversation appropriately. It further revealed that the linguistic features such as semantics, pragmatics and syntax of the patients are disordered. The study also showed that medication alone cannot effectively take care of all the symptoms that confront the schizophrenic patients; hence the work encourages an incorporation of many initiatives involving identification, testing, psychosocial therapy, language therapy, etc. Early intervention is key to preventing a further episode of relapse, and a strategy to encourage a return to normal vocation and social activity. Although this study does not claim to be exhaustive, it is believed that it may serve as a useful introduction for those unfamiliar with communication patterns of schizophrenia. KEYWORDS: Schizophrenia, semantic disorder, pragmatic disorder, syntactic disorder, Amaudo Home for Destitute.