B

Stuttering(口吃)has nothing to do with intelligence. I know this because I stutter. If it takes me a while longer to say a word, it's not because I can't remember the word; it's because the neural(神经的) pathway that transforms words in my head into sounds in my mouth is wired differently . And differences, of course, are the best way to get negative attention in our society. Taking extra time to get my words out can surely be frustrating, but that's nothing compared to the misery of dealing with people's reactions.

Almost all children who stutter are discouraged from speaking in one way or another. It's usually not as direct as someone walking up to them and saying, "Hey, stuttering kid! Keep your mouth shut!" But when your voice causes adults and peers to snicker(窃笑)or roll their eyes, it's pretty discouraging.

Growing up, I learned to avoid speaking whenever possible. I hated what came out of my mouth, full of awkward breaks and pauses. I figured whatever future I had, it probably involved a vow of silence.

Today I'm a touring author and comedian. It took me 30-something years to get over stuttering. Did I stop stuttering? No! I couldn't stop if I wanted to. But I stopped wanting to stop. Instead of wasting all my time and energy trying to meet unattainable standards, I learned that it's OK to stutter. And I learned by example. I attended the National Stuttering Association conference and met all kinds of people who stutter-people who didn't hate themselves, who didn't silence themselves. They stuttered, and they were OK with it! I remember watching them and thinking, "That's who I want to be!"

There's a popular saying in comedy: "Your weakness is your strength." When I first entered my local open-mic scene, I was quickly met with some "smart" guys looking to score a cheap laugh at my expense. I remember introducing myself to one comedian and stuttering on my name, as I usually do. Eager to demonstrate his smartness, he replied, "Is that Nina with five Ns?" "No," I said, "it's Nina with two Ns!" Just like that, I had created a joke as the result of someone making fun of my stutter.

To this day, whenever I need inspiration for a new joke, I just think about all the ridiculous comments I get from non-stuttering people. It's a comedy gold mine!