And all the daughters of musick shall be brought low. Language function in the elderly.

Language, including articulated speech and also, communication of ideas in writing, is liable to progressive alteration with advancing years. This process may appear early or late and may advance throughout the presenescent-senescent-senility continuum. An attempt is made to discuss these changes objectively, and from the standpoint of linguistics, their possible bearing upon the more fundamental problem as to the nature of the aging process is mentioned.