Private and social speech in communication: Terminology and distinctive traits

The study of private and social speech demands a considerable initial effort from beginning scientists to clarify the terms and concepts related to the phenomenon. The present article looks at the different labels used and at their conceptual definitions, distinguishing two stages: the origin of the conceptual debate by Piaget and Vygotsky (which has been sometimes misunderstood), and the later contributions by other authors. The above contributions led to the current terms (private speech and social speech) that have finally prevailed. In this article the use of these latter terms is justified and two new subterms, which increase their accuracy, are coined: social speech of private meaning and social speech of public meaning.