Interdentals to the rescue: a German four-year-old with protracted phonological development
Barbara May Bernhardt1, Angela Ullrich1
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics
|August 31, 2022
Summary
This study on a four-year-old’s speech development reveals asynchronous phonological patterns. Despite a limited consonant system, the child mastered complex sounds, highlighting unique developmental pathways in pediatric phonology.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Asynchronous phonological development presents unique challenges in children.
- Understanding atypical speech sound acquisition is crucial for early intervention.
- Pediatric Phonological Disorder (PPD) can manifest in varied consonantal system restrictions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the phonological system of a German four-year-old exhibiting asynchronous development.
- To identify expected and unexpected phonological patterns in a child with PPD.
- To investigate the interaction between phonological tiers and word structure dominance.
Main Methods:
- Case study analysis of a single child's speech production.
- Phonological inventory assessment focusing on consonants and word structure.
- Comparison of observed patterns with typical and atypical phonological development norms.
Main Results:
- The child demonstrated age-level mastery of word structure and vowels but a restricted consonant inventory.
- Unexpected findings included the acquisition of marked sounds (/l/, /ʁ/) and the substitution of ungrooved interdentals for various consonants.
- The child's system showed dominance of word structure, impacting consonant realization in specific prosodic positions.
Conclusions:
- Phonological tiers exhibit autonomy but also restrictive interactions, particularly when word structure dominates.
- The case highlights the complexity of pediatric phonological disorder and the need for individualized assessment.
- A treatment plan targeting feature combinations and consonant sequences is proposed to address developmental asynchrony.
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