speech
On Friday an American with a stuttering problem came into the shop. I stood behind the front counter expecting nothing, waiting to answer his question. After a few words, I realised he is a stutterer. I haven't spoken to a stutterer before, and suddenly discovered how insensitive it would be to make fun of people with speech impediment by imitating the way they talk--such as ones who talk with their tongue in an awkward position. (In Chinese we call them 'big tongue'.) I looked at him in the face being as patient as possible, so that he wouldn't feel uncomfortable. Maybe he doesn't at all, at least he didn't choose to remain in silence. My friend AT would be able to help him. She's studying everything about speech now, and last time on the phone, she told me that she's very much into the knowledge of stuttering. AT also just got into a PhD programme--brilliant!