FUNDAMENTS OF A NATIVE SPEECH THERAPY IN OBSERVATIONS OF GREAT ARMENIAN SCIENTISTS AND PEDAGOGUES

Abstract

Doctors, psychologists and pedagogues have consistently directed their focus towards speech therapy and its key issues and concerns. This article refers to scientific observations on various speech disorders, made by Armenian scholars and educators throughout the history of Armenian pedagogy. Several decades ago, the classification and correct pronunciation of speech sounds, among other questions, were looked into by such notable writers and intellectuals as Kh. Abovyan (1809- 1848) and G. Aghayan (1840-1911). As early as the beginning of the 13th century, Vardan Areveltsi, an Armenian historian, philosopher and translator, made a substantial contribution to the study of causes of incorrect articulation of speech sounds, as well as the role of vocal cords and breathing, thus giving us the right to claim that Armenian speech therapy was first introduced in Cilician Armenia in the Middle Ages.