Clanging
Encyclopedia
In psychology
and psychiatry
, clanging or clang association refers to a mode of speech and logical association to two or more words primarily based upon word sounds when no logical association between the words exists. For example, rhyming
or alliteration
may lead to the appearance of logical connections where none in fact exists. This, just one manifestation amongst a more general spectrum of thought disorder
s, is associated with the irregular thinking apparent in psychotic
mental illness
es (e.g. schizophrenia).
An example of a clang association, as spoken by a person experiencing a hypomanic or manic bipolar episode could be "he raged at the hypocrisy of the aristocracy democracy." While the sentence masquerades as a sort of sharp criticism of a democracy which has gone aristocratic and the hypocrisy of such a change to a democracy, the sentence itself, is patently absurd. Moreover, the clang association itself must be taken into consideration with other thoughts expressed by the speaker. Often, the clang association is used to punctuate a rambling stream-of-consciousness-train with a pithy, poetic phrase. The key to distinguishing the sentence as a clang association is two-fold: one, the sentence has the alliterative rhyming to it AND the conspiracy/persecution associations (or other bizarre implications of such a phrase), a behavior commonly expressed by those afflicted with some behavioral disorders.
Most clang associations are less "thoughtful" than the above example and more about the alliteration or rhyming than the actual meaning behind them. In other words, they're usually nonsense, e.g. "The decoration of masturbation makes mistaken malevolent Marxists marry merry Mormons."
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, clanging or clang association refers to a mode of speech and logical association to two or more words primarily based upon word sounds when no logical association between the words exists. For example, rhyming
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
or alliteration
Alliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
may lead to the appearance of logical connections where none in fact exists. This, just one manifestation amongst a more general spectrum of thought disorder
Thought disorder
In psychiatry, thought disorder or formal thought disorder is a term used to describe incomprehensible language, either speech or writing, that is presumed to reflect thinking. There are different types...
s, is associated with the irregular thinking apparent in psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
es (e.g. schizophrenia).
An example of a clang association, as spoken by a person experiencing a hypomanic or manic bipolar episode could be "he raged at the hypocrisy of the aristocracy democracy." While the sentence masquerades as a sort of sharp criticism of a democracy which has gone aristocratic and the hypocrisy of such a change to a democracy, the sentence itself, is patently absurd. Moreover, the clang association itself must be taken into consideration with other thoughts expressed by the speaker. Often, the clang association is used to punctuate a rambling stream-of-consciousness-train with a pithy, poetic phrase. The key to distinguishing the sentence as a clang association is two-fold: one, the sentence has the alliterative rhyming to it AND the conspiracy/persecution associations (or other bizarre implications of such a phrase), a behavior commonly expressed by those afflicted with some behavioral disorders.
Most clang associations are less "thoughtful" than the above example and more about the alliteration or rhyming than the actual meaning behind them. In other words, they're usually nonsense, e.g. "The decoration of masturbation makes mistaken malevolent Marxists marry merry Mormons."