<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<article schema_version="1.0" id="CC-123" source_sha256="2c14e94408da913447731c6ab089fd8698a38cd63751a863a1767b2c62cb9c9b"><title>Stuttering or stammering: what do I mean?</title><author>Craig Coffee</author><canonical_url>https://usedtostutter.com/stuttering-vs-stammering</canonical_url><source_markdown xml:space="preserve"># Stuttering or stammering: what do I mean?

By [Craig Coffee](/craig-coffee)

I use both words for the same speaking problem. In one conversation I said I grew up stammering, or what we call stuttering here in the States.

I was talking about [my name](/stutter-saying-your-name), introducing myself, and [being called on to read aloud at school](/reading-aloud-in-front-of-people). Those were some of the situations that were so hard for me.

In another conversation, I said “my stammer or my stutter.” I was explaining the same part of my life: how much I wanted to speak, how I felt before an introduction, and what I kept working on.

So when you hear either word in my recordings, that&apos;s what I&apos;m talking about.

I&apos;ve also talked about [the label I used for myself](/stuttering-and-identity). I wanted to think of myself as a person working on his fluency. I knew I was stuttering. I just didn&apos;t want it to be the defining characteristic of who I was.

I&apos;m a person with a life, interests, things I want to do, and people I want to talk to. That&apos;s the life behind either word when I use it.

## Related answers

- [How did I start working on my stuttering?](/how-to-stop-stuttering)

[Find your question](/questions)
</source_markdown><sections><section id="reading-content" role="source_context" citation_url="https://usedtostutter.com/stuttering-vs-stammering#reading-content"><source_markdown xml:space="preserve">I use both words for the same speaking problem. In one conversation I said I grew up stammering, or what we call stuttering here in the States.

I was talking about [my name](/stutter-saying-your-name), introducing myself, and [being called on to read aloud at school](/reading-aloud-in-front-of-people). Those were some of the situations that were so hard for me.

In another conversation, I said “my stammer or my stutter.” I was explaining the same part of my life: how much I wanted to speak, how I felt before an introduction, and what I kept working on.

So when you hear either word in my recordings, that&apos;s what I&apos;m talking about.

I&apos;ve also talked about [the label I used for myself](/stuttering-and-identity). I wanted to think of myself as a person working on his fluency. I knew I was stuttering. I just didn&apos;t want it to be the defining characteristic of who I was.

I&apos;m a person with a life, interests, things I want to do, and people I want to talk to. That&apos;s the life behind either word when I use it.

</source_markdown></section><section id="related-answers" role="navigation" citation_url="https://usedtostutter.com/stuttering-vs-stammering#related-answers"><source_markdown xml:space="preserve">## Related answers

- [How did I start working on my stuttering?](/how-to-stop-stuttering)
</source_markdown></section></sections></article>
