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

Purpose: The aim was to explore cluster acquisition in typically developing Germanspeaking 2-year olds. Method: Data from four cross-sectional studies (n=145, aged 2;00-2;11) and one eightmonth longitudinal study were analysed (n=6, aged 2;01-2;04). Two different percentages of consonant clusters correct were calculated to allow a more detailed analysis. Results: Findings showed that the majority of children produced clusters although they could not be considered to be fully acquired. Correct production significantly correlated with age. Only /gl/ and /kl/ were shown to be phonetically and phonemically acquired (75% criterion) in the older age-group. 3-element clusters were acquired at the same time as 2-element clusters and /∫/- clusters were acquired to the same or larger extent as non-/∫/ clusters when fronting/backing of /∫/ was accepted. Younger children produced more reductions than simplifications but this effect was less strong for the /∫/-clusters. Developmental realisation patterns varied depending on cluster type. Interand intra-individual developmental patterns could be observed which changed depending on the time of testing. Conclusion: Findings on cluster acquisition in 2-year old German-speaking children revealed language specific differences but also similarities in comparison to results from other languages. All but two children produced clusters. However, individual variation between children was high.