Patterns of phonological disability in Cantonese-speaking children in Hong Kong

Tone, vowel and consonant production are described for a large group of Cantonese-speaking children assessed in speech and language therapy clinics in Hong Kong. The patterns of disability follow predictions made on the basis of work on normal phonological development in Cantonese, and on psychoacoustic factors in acquisition: consonants account for more disability than vowels, and tones are least problematic. Possible articulatory and auditory contributions to explanation of the observed patterns are discussed.