Mutism is defined as what?

Mutism is defined as what?

• A. Lack of speech
• B. Silence owing to fear only
• C. Absent vocabulary
• D. Excessive talking

Answer: (A)

Mutism means a person who is capable of speaking does not produce speech. It’s defined by a lack of speech, not simply a momentary quiet or a result of fear in a specific situation. It’s not about vocabulary size—someone with mutism can often know plenty of words but chooses not to vocalize them—nor is it about excessive talking, which is the opposite. While fear can contribute to speech issues in some cases (as in selective mutism), the basic idea is the absence of spoken output.

Mutism means a person who is capable of speaking does not produce speech. It’s defined by a lack of speech, not simply a momentary quiet or a result of fear in a specific situation. It’s not about vocabulary size—someone with mutism can often know plenty of words but chooses not to vocalize them—nor is it about excessive talking, which is the opposite. While fear can contribute to speech issues in some cases (as in selective mutism), the basic idea is the absence of spoken output.