A taxonomy of misnaming aphasiacs

A cluster analysis, based upon the naming errors of 61 non-selected aphasiacs, was performed. Three clusters emerged; the first was marked by phonemic errors, the second by semantic ones and the third by the use of escape mechanisms. Subjects in the second cluster were less impaired; this could be a consequence of the disturbance type involved. Though many patients of first and third groups displayed a Wernicke aphasia, whereas Broca aphasia predominated in the second one, a concordance of clusters with aphasiologic diagnoses was far from excellent.