Sonority and cross‐linguistic acquisition of initial s‐clusters

Abstract

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.

Epilogue

“…While this goes against the principle of 'retain the least sonorous consonant' (so as to create a higher jump in sonority from the retained consonant to the vowel nucleus), all languages agreed in this violation. This, incidentally, reconfirms the patterns we found earlier with typically-developing children (Yavaş, Ben-David, Gerrits, Kristoffersen, and Simonsen, 2006), and questions the sonority index for nasal consonants. In addition, Spanish-English bilingual children also violated the above-mentioned principle by favouring the retention of [l] in the reductions of /sl/ targets, although /s/ is less sonorous than the lateral.…”

Acoustic Investigation of Production of Clusters by Saudi Second Language Learners of English

“…Since in both nasals and stops the airflow is obstructed, this maybe motivated the creation of an independent group sharing the [-continuant] feature (Yavaş et al, 2008). The data in this study did not provide enough evidence to support neither.…”

“…Both sonority distances 2 and -2 are within 2 steps difference on the sonority scale but in the opposite directions. Similar behavior was also observed in L1 studies (e.g., Gierut, 1999;Yavaş & Someillan, 2005;Yavaş, Ben-David, Gerrits, Kristoffersen & Simonsen, 2008). Gierut (1999) suggested that participants may be treating all sonority distances of 2 as a "natural class", regardless of the direction in which sonority heading, either "rising" as in /s+nasal/ or "falling" as in /s+stop/.…”

“…According to Yavaş et al (2008) and Yavaş (2013), the similar behavior between /s+nasal/ and /s+stop/ may not be because of sonority distance but rather because the second consonant is [-continuant]. Since in both nasals and stops the airflow is obstructed, this maybe motivated the creation of an independent group sharing the [-continuant] feature (Yavaş et al, 2008).…”

The acquisition of initial consonant clusters in German-speaking 2-year-olds

“…Yavaş, Ben David, Gerrits, Kristoffersen, & Simonsen, 2008). Those clusters (such as /sn/ in /snəʊ/) tend to be reduced to either the first or second consonant (i.e.…”