Consonant clusters in disordered speech: constraints and correspondence patterns

Abstract

Comparison of patterns of cluster realization from 47 children ranging in age from 3;4 to 6;8 with functional (non-organic) speech disorders with those reported in the literature for normal acquisition reveals that these patterns are essentially the same for both groups. Using a two-level generative phonology for children's independent systems, further analysis of cluster realizations by means of feature geometry and under-specification theory reveals that there are systematic and principled relationships between adult representations of clusters and children's underlying representations and between children's underlying representations and their phonetic representations. With special emphasis on coalescence phenomena, it is suggested that the apparent diversity in children's cluster realizations can be reduced to four constraints on the form of underlying and phonetic representations.

Asymmetries in phonological development: the case of word-final cluster acquisition in Welsh–English bilingual children

“…This may involve FEATURE SYNTHESIS or COALESCENCE (Chin & Dinnsen, 1992), e.g. box realised as [], with the [t] preserving the manner of articulation of /k/ and the alveolar place of articulation of /s/.…”

The effect of phonotactic constraints in German-speaking children with delayed phonological acquisition: Evidence from production of word-initial consonant clusters

“…For instance, Greenlee (1974), Ingram (1976) and Elbert and McReynolds (1979) describe the following developmental stages: (1) omission of both elements of the consonant cluster, (2) reduction to one element of the consonant cluster, (3) replacement of one element of the consonant cluster and (4) correct production of the whole consonant cluster. These developmental stages in the acquisition of consonant clusters have been found to be a robust description of children's development of two-element consonant clusters, in typical as well as in impaired development (Chin & Dinnsen, 1992;Dodd, 1995;McLeod et al, 1997;McLeod, van Doorn, & Reed, 2001a;Smit, 1993).…”

“…In this area, previous research has mainly focussed on phonological development of phonemes, segmental features, syllable structures or prosodic features (e.g., Fikkert, Penner, & Wymann, 1998;Grunwell, 1987;Hacker, 1999;Ingram, 1976;Leonard, 1985). There are also few studies that focus on consonant cluster acquisition by children with delayed phonological acquisition mainly analysing cluster reductions, cluster simplifications and the order of acquisition of cluster categories (e.g., Chin & Dinnsen, 1992;McLeod, van Doorn, & Reed, 1997). On the other hand, the effect of phonotactic constraints on the acquisition of consonant clusters in children with delayed phonological acquisition has not been investigated in much detail; therefore the goal of this study is to observe whether phonotactic constraints referring to word-initial two-element consonant clusters affect the word production of German-speaking children with delayed phonological acquisition.…”

“…The acquisition of consonant clusters is considered to make high demands on children (Chin & Dinnsen, 1992;McLeod, van Doorn, & Reed, 2001b). Producing consonant clusters implies a more difficult and complex articulatory response than the production of CV-syllables, for example (McReynolds & Elbert, 1981).…”

“…Due to the fact that these children have problems in acquiring the sound system of their native language and show subsequent stages of age-inappropriate error patterns, one might expect that acquiring admissible sound sequences like consonant clusters is particularly challenging for these children. Even for normally developing children this is the hardest stage of speech development (Chin & Dinnsen, 1992;McLeod et al, 2001b).…”