You may hear some people use the term “stammering” to describe their speech characteristics. These people may be from the UK or other places where British English is used, such as India or second-language English speakers in Europe who are primarily exposed to British English.

The term “stammering” is a synonym for “stuttering” in the same way that “pavement” describes a sidewalk or “lift” an elevator. They are simply two different words, used by British and American speakers respectively, to describe the same phenomenon. However, it is always helpful to use the same term as the person that you are speaking with. If someone self-identifies as a person with a stammer, or describes their speech as stammering, use the term back to them.