Sonority and cross-linguistic acquisition of initial s-clusters. 2008

Mehmet Yavas, and Avivit Ben-David, and Ellen Gerrits, and Kristian E Kristoffersen, and Hanne G Simonsen
Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA. yavasm@fiu.edu

This paper examines the findings and implications of the cross-linguistic acquisition of #sC clusters in relation to sonority patterns. Data from individual studies on English, Dutch, Norwegian, and Hebrew are compared for accuracy of production as well as the reductions with respect to potential differences across subtypes of #sC groups. In all four languages, a great deal of variability occurred both within and across children, but a number of general patterns were noted. While all four languages showed similar behaviour in reduction patterns, clear differences between the three Germanic languages-English, Dutch, and Norwegian-and Hebrew were found in the accuracy rate of #sC clusters that have a larger sonority distance between C1 and C2, in a binary split of /s/+[+cont.] versus /s/+[-cont.], and in #sC clusters versus non-/s/-clusters. Patterns in cluster reductions were, in general, supportive of the factorial typology of Pater and Barlow, while pointing at some difficulties for the predictions of the headedness approach advanced by Goad and Rose, and Jongstra. This cross-linguistic description of patterns of s-clusters increases our knowledge of typical phonological development and helps selecting targets in clinical context.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007223 Infant A child between 1 and 23 months of age. Infants
D007802 Language A verbal or nonverbal means of communicating ideas or feelings. Dialect,Dialects,Languages
D007805 Language Development Disorders Conditions characterized by language abilities (comprehension and expression of speech and writing) that are below the expected level for a given age, generally in the absence of an intellectual impairment. These conditions may be associated with DEAFNESS; BRAIN DISEASES; MENTAL DISORDERS; or environmental factors. Language Delay,Speech Delay,Auditory Processing Disorder, Central,Central Auditory Processing Disorder,Developmental Disorder, Speech or Language,Developmental Language Disorders,Language Disorders, Developmental,Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder,Speech or Language, Developmental Disorder,Delay, Speech,Delays, Speech,Development Disorder, Language,Developmental Language Disorder,Disorder, Language Development,Disorders, Language Development,Language Delays,Language Development Disorder,Language Disorder, Developmental,Semantic Pragmatic Disorder,Semantic-Pragmatic Disorders,Speech Delays
D008297 Male Males
D008403 Mass Screening Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease. Screening,Mass Screenings,Screening, Mass,Screenings,Screenings, Mass
D010699 Phonation The process of producing vocal sounds by means of VOCAL CORDS vibrating in an expiratory blast of air. Phonations
D010700 Phonetics The science or study of speech sounds and their production, transmission, and reception, and their analysis, classification, and transcription. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Speech Sounds,Sound, Speech,Sounds, Speech,Speech Sound
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003431 Cross-Cultural Comparison Comparison of various psychological, sociological, or cultural factors in order to assess the similarities or diversities occurring in two or more different cultures or societies. Transcultural Studies,Comparison, Cross-Cultural,Comparisons, Cross-Cultural,Cross Cultural Comparison,Cross-Cultural Comparisons,Studies, Transcultural,Study, Transcultural,Transcultural Study
D005260 Female Females

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