Schaefer, B. and Fox-Boyer, A. (2016) The acquisition of initial consonant clusters in German-speaking 2-year-olds. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. pp. 1-14. ISSN 1754-9507
Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore cluster acquisition in typically developing German-speaking 2-year-olds. METHOD: Data from four cross-sectional studies (n = 145, aged 2;00-2;11) and one eight-month 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. RESULT: 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. Three-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. Inter- and 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 with results from other languages. All but two children produced clusters. However, individual variation between children was high.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Informa Healthcare. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | 2-year-olds; German; consonant clusters; phonology; speech acquisition |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > Department of Human Communication Sciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 12 Dec 2016 15:53 |
Last Modified: | 24 Nov 2017 01:38 |
Published Version: | http://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2016.1221450 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Informa Healthcare |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/17549507.2016.1221450 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:109298 |