Textpragmatic impairments of figure-ground distinction in right-brain damaged stroke patients compared with aphasics and healthy controls

Abstract

Abstract Following previously published work on aphasic texts and unpublished pilot studies on textpragmatic impairments in right-brain damaged stroke patients (RBDs), we present an exploratory study on textpragmatic dimensions of several text classes produced by RBDs as compared with aphasics and healthy controls. In contrast to the main thrust of published research on (text)pragmatic impairments in RBDs, we assume for them the existence of a specific major impairment of figure-ground segregation, with consequences in defective textual organization, in inferencing, and in metalinguistic behavior. In this way we explain the RBDs’ deficits in producing (but not in comprehending) the essential textual core and emotional elements, and essential inferences. Difficulties in figure-ground distinction also result in RBDs’ insecurity about how well they solve discursive problems. These deficits appeared in the tests that we administered to 4 RBDs, 5 controls, 3 Broca and 2 Wernicke aphasics. Subjects had to carry out the following tasks: (a) oral production of a longer and a shorter picture story, (b) oral and written reproduction of a longer and a shorter oral narrative, (c) productions of telegraphic versions, of titles and of punch lines for (a) and (b). Differences in the RBDs’ performances in these distinct tasks are traced back to different cognitive demands on oral vs. written vs. reductive reproduction vs. picture story telling.