feedback (n.)

An extension of the technical use of this term in COMMUNICATION theory, referring to the process whereby the sender of a message obtains a reaction from the receiver which enables a check to be made on the efficiency of the communication. More specifically, some LINGUISTS have suggested it as a defining property of human LANGUAGE (contrasting with the properties of other SEMIOTIC SYSTEMS), whereby speakers are able to monitor their own PERFORMANCE (both by self-observation, and by observing the response-signals of others). The term complete feedback is usually used for this property, when it is seen as a ‘design feature’ of language. In PHONETICS, speakers’ awareness of their own production of sound is also referred to as feedback; this may be AUDITORY (via the ear), kinaesthetic (via the internal sensation of ARTICULATORY movement) or vibratory (via bone conduction). Delayed auditory feedback (DAF) takes place when a delay is artificially introduced into the transmission of speech between mouth and ear, so that the signal reaches the ear somewhat later than is normally the case. Certain periods of delay cause marked alteration in one’s ability to speak with normal fluency; conversely, the speech of stammerers can sometimes be improved by using this technique.