Psychoanalysis and psychotic speech: Neologism, meaning and effect of words

Abstract

In this paper, I will consider certain specificities of psychotic discourse. Specifically, relying on classical, contemporary psychoanalysis and linguistics, I will unravel the logic behind the production of neologisms, which represent one of the basic features of the speech of psychotic patients. The paper indicates the importance of taking into account both semantic and prosodic aspects of the patient?s speech. The main thesis is the interdependence of the integrative capacities of the subject of analytical experience (identity) and his ability to speak. The absence of capacity for dialogue, that is, ?intentional symbolic exchange?, is considered a consequence of severe structural deficiencies of the speaker. That incommunicableness (idiosyncrasy) of speech will be presented through the examples of Friedrich H?lderlin and James Joyce.