Which condition is characterized by difficulty in speaking or understanding language?

The condition characterized by difficulty in speaking or understanding language is known as aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, which can involve challenges with speaking, understanding speech, as well as difficulties in reading and writing.

Dysphasia is often used interchangeably with aphasia to describe language impairments but typically refers to a milder form of language difficulty. Apraxia, on the other hand, is a motor disorder affecting the ability to plan and execute speech movements, making it difficult for a person to say what they want even if they know the words. Agnosia refers to a loss of the ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, shapes, or smells while the senses are still functioning, which is unrelated to language itself.

Understanding these distinctions helps clarify that aphasia is the condition most specifically associated with impairments in language ability.