Confusion of Tongues Between Adults and the Child
E479113
Confusion of Tongues Between Adults and the Child is a seminal psychoanalytic essay by Sándor Ferenczi that explores how adults’ sexualized misinterpretations of children’s innocent communications can lead to trauma and neurosis.
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
academic article
ⓘ
psychoanalytic essay ⓘ |
| addresses |
clinical implications of childhood sexual trauma
ⓘ
role of the analyst as potential repeat of trauma ⓘ |
| arguesThat |
abusive adults speak the language of passion
ⓘ
adults may sexualize children’s innocent communications ⓘ children speak the language of tenderness ⓘ sexualized misinterpretations can lead to neurosis ⓘ sexualized misinterpretations can lead to trauma ⓘ |
| author | Sándor Ferenczi NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| centralIdea |
adult erotic demands are imposed on the child’s need for tenderness
ⓘ
analytic listening should validate the child’s experience ⓘ trauma arises from betrayal of the child’s trust ⓘ |
| contributesTo | trauma-centered psychoanalytic theory ⓘ |
| criticizes | tendency to blame the child for seduction ⓘ |
| critiques | authoritarian attitudes in psychoanalytic treatment ⓘ |
| describes | misinterpretation of children’s affectionate gestures as sexual invitations ⓘ |
| emphasizes |
credibility of the child’s testimony
ⓘ
reality of traumatic events ⓘ |
| focusesOn | adult responsibility in child abuse ⓘ |
| historicalSignificance |
key document in early theorizing of child sexual abuse
ⓘ
seminal text in the history of psychoanalysis ⓘ |
| influencedField |
clinical practice with abuse survivors
ⓘ
feminist psychoanalytic theory ⓘ psychoanalytic child therapy ⓘ trauma studies ⓘ |
| introducesDistinction |
language of passion
ⓘ
language of tenderness ⓘ |
| language | German ⓘ |
| mainTopic |
adult–child communication
ⓘ
childhood trauma ⓘ neurosis ⓘ psychoanalysis ⓘ psychoanalytic technique ⓘ sexual abuse ⓘ transference ⓘ trauma theory ⓘ |
| opposesView | purely fantasy-based explanations of neurosis ⓘ |
| originalTitle | Sprachverwirrung zwischen den Erwachsenen und dem Kind NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| proposesConcept | confusion of tongues ⓘ |
| publicationPeriod | 1930s ⓘ |
| publishedIn | psychoanalytic journal ⓘ |
| relatedConcept |
identification with the aggressor
ⓘ
traumatic repetition ⓘ |
| relatedWorkByAuthor | Clinical Diary of Sándor Ferenczi NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| supportsView |
importance of empathy toward the child
ⓘ
importance of recognizing power asymmetry between adult and child ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.