Less common structural processes

Question 1

Coalescence

Answer 1

Less common structural process
Features associated with two adjacent consonants (typically in a cluster) combining into a new consonant. Eg spoon  foon

Question 2

Epenthesis

Answer 2

Less common structural process
Insertion of a segment (typically schwa) in the middle of a word. Eg please –. Pa-lease

Question 3

Metathesis

Answer 3

Less common structural process
Reversal or swapping of the position of two consonants in a word. Eg spaghetti  pasghetti

Question 4

Migration

Answer 4

Less common structural process
The migration or movement of a sound from one position in a word to another (e.g., ski /ski/ → [kis]).

Question 5

Diminutization

Answer 5

Less common structural process
The addition of the vowel /i/ or /ɪ/ at the end of a word (e.g., dog /dɑɡ/ → [dɑɡi]; bird /bɝd/ → [bɝdi]). This process is associated with “baby talk” and may occur during the first 50-word stage of language acquisition