Circumstantial speech - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Circumstantial speech (also referred to as circumstantiality)
is the result of a non-linear thought pattern and occurs when the focus
of a conversation drifts, but often comes back to the point.[1] In circumstantiality, unnecessary details and irrelevant remarks cause a delay in getting to the point.[2]
If someone exhibits circumstantial speech during a conversation, they
will often "talk the long way around" to their point, which can be seen
in contrast to linear speech, which is direct, succinct, and to the
point.
Circumstantial speech is more direct than tangential speech in which the speaker wanders and drifts and usually never returns to the original topic, and is far less severe than logorrhea.[3]
A helpful metaphor is traveling to a destination. If someone is
thinking and speaking linearly, then they will go directly to the point.
Circumstantial speech is more like taking unnecessary detours, but the
speaker eventually arrives at the intended destination. In tangential
speech, the speaker simply gets lost along the way, never returning to
the original topic of conversation. With logorrhea, which is closer to word salad, it may not even be clear that the speaker had a particular idea or point in the first place.
Circumstantial speech (also referred to as circumstantiality)
is the result of a non-linear thought pattern and occurs when the focus
of a conversation drifts, but often comes back to the point.[1] In circumstantiality, unnecessary details and irrelevant remarks cause a delay in getting to the point.[2]
If someone exhibits circumstantial speech during a conversation, they
will often "talk the long way around" to their point, which can be seen
in contrast to linear speech, which is direct, succinct, and to the
point.
Circumstantial speech is more direct than tangential speech in which the speaker wanders and drifts and usually never returns to the original topic, and is far less severe than logorrhea.[3]
A helpful metaphor is traveling to a destination. If someone is
thinking and speaking linearly, then they will go directly to the point.
Circumstantial speech is more like taking unnecessary detours, but the
speaker eventually arrives at the intended destination. In tangential
speech, the speaker simply gets lost along the way, never returning to
the original topic of conversation. With logorrhea, which is closer to word salad, it may not even be clear that the speaker had a particular idea or point in the first place.
