Phonological processes

Question 1

What is weak syllable deletion?

Answer 1

Also known as syllable reduction and unstressed syllable deletion.
Omission of a syllable that is present in the adult form of the word.
The omitted syllable is usually unstressed, especially in words with a weak-strong syllable structure.
eg. Banana –> nana

Question 2

Final consonant deletion

Answer 2

The omission of a syllable-arresting consonant (a consonant at the end of a word).
This process can also occur at syllable level ie. at the end of the first syllable of a two syllable word where the second syllable starts with a consonant.
This process only works when there is only one consonant not a cluster!
Eg. bed –> be OR toothbrush –>toobush

Question 3

Cluster deletion

Answer 3

The omission of an entire consonant cluster.
Ie. best –> be

If part of the cluster remains then it is cluster reduction.

Question 4

Cluster reduction

Answer 4

Production of fewer consecutive consonants than are present in the adult form of the word. Can be 2 –> 1 or 3 –> 2/1.
Eg. spoon –>poon, street –> treet or seet.

Question 5

Cluster substitution

Answer 5

The substitution of one or all members of a cluster by another sound. Most often affects clusters that contain a liquid.
Eg. drop –> dwop, train –> fwain

Question 6

Epenthesis

Answer 6

Refers to the insertion of a sound segment (usually a schwa) which changes the syllable structure of the word. Most common between two consonants in a consonant structure.
please –> pelease

Question 7

Reduplication

Answer 7

The second syllable becomes a replication of the first. Reduplication can also be considered an assimilatory process and is partial or total.
Ie. Total = water –> wawa
Partial = pillow –> papow

Question 8

Coalescence

Answer 8

Used to simplify clusters whereby one or more features of each consonant are preserved, merging these features into one distinct consonant.
Eg. swim –> fim (/s/ frication and /w/ labialisation = /f/)

Also used to describe the production of a multisyllabic word with fewer syllables.
Eg. telephone –> tephone (some call this WSD)

Also used to describe some common changes to words that children make to simplify them. Eg sandwich becomes samitch.

Question 9

Diminutization

Answer 9

The addition of /I/ or /i:/ to the target word.

Eg. cup –> cupi

Question 10

Fronting

Answer 10

Refers to the replacement of palatal and velar obstruents (stops, affricates, fricatives) and the velar nasal /ng/ with an alveolar consonant.
Velar fronting - most common process seen in children
/k/ –> /t/ and /g/ –> /d/
Palatal fronting
/sh/ –> /s/ and /shz/ –> /z/ and /ch/ –> /ts/ and /g/ –> /dz/

Question 11

Stopping

Answer 11

Refers to the replacement of fricatives, liquids, glides and affricates with stops. Also referred to as de-affrication.
Stopping of fricatives: sun --> tun
Stopping of glides: wing --> ding
Stopping of liquids: lime --> dime
Stopping of affricates: chip --> tip

Question 12

De-affrication

Answer 12

Refers to a change in the production of an affricate:
Without a stop portion: chair –> share (de-affrication fricative component)
Without a fricative portion: chair –> tare (de-affrication stop component)

Question 13

Gliding

Answer 13

Gliding of liquids: Refers to replacement of primarily the liquids /l/ and /r/ with the glides /w/ and /j/ eg. red –> wed

Gliding of fricatives: Refers to the replacement of a fricative with a glide /w/ or /j/ or with a liquid /l/ eg. shoe –> woe or thumb –> lum

Question 14

Liquid simplification

Answer 14

Refers to the replacement of the liquid /r/ with the liquid /l/
Eg. red –> led or run –> lum

Question 15

Labialisation

Answer 15

Refers to the replacement of a non-labial sound by a labial one.
Eg. thumb –> fum or that –> vat

Sometimes also called fricative simplification

Question 16

Vowelisation

Answer 16

Refers to substitution of a vowel for a syllabic liquid or nasal. Most common replacements are eu or uuu.
Eg. simple –> simpeu or table –> tabluu

Also called vocalisation

Question 17

Progressive assimilation

Answer 17

When a sound segment influences a following sound.

Eg. bed –> beb or card –> carg

Question 18

Regressive assimilation

Answer 18

When a sound segment influences are preceding sound.
Eg. hat –> tat
Many different types of assimilation happen:
velar assimilation: dog –> gog
labial assimilation: tip –> pip
nasal assimilation: line –> nine

Question 19

Voicing errors

Answer 19

Pre-vocalic voicing: Voiceless consonant before a vowel becomes voiced. Can occur at the beginning of a word or syllable.
Eg. cat –> gat or spoon –> boon (this includes CR)

Post-vocalic de-voicing: The devoicing of a voiced consonant word-finally.
Eg. bed –> bet or pig –> pik

Question 20

Initial consonant deletion

Answer 20

Deviant phonological process
The deletion of a syllable-initial consonant. This can occur at the beginning of a word or at the beginning of a syllable.
Eg. top –> op or bathtub –> bafub (includes labialisation)

Question 21

Medial consonant deletion

Answer 21

Deviant phonological process
The deletion of a word-medial or inter-vocalic consonant.
Eg. table –> tael or feather –> fea

Note: window –> winow may be seen as either medial cluster reduction or as initial consonant deletion at syllable level but NOT medial consonant deletion.

Question 22

Backing

Answer 22

Deviant phonological process
The substitution of a more posterior stop, fricative or affricate to the target sound.
Eg. tap –> kap or sand –> hand

Question 23

Affrication

Answer 23

Deviant phonological process
The replacement of a fricative with an affricate.
Eg. shoe –> chue or sand –> chand

Question 24

Palatisation

Answer 24

Deviant phonological process
The replacement of a non-palatal sound with a palatal sound.
Eg. sand –> shand or see –> she

Question 25

De-nasalisation

Answer 25

Deviant phonological process
The replacement of a nasal consonant by a non-nasal. It is usually, but not always, replaced with a homorganic non-nasal (a non-nasal produced at the same place of articulation).
Eg. nose –> tose

Note: The deletion of a nasal like note –> ote is ICD not de-nasalisation.

Question 26

Intrusive consonants

Answer 26

Deviant phonological process
The insertion of an additional consonant before another consonant.
Eg. big –> bingg or hiss –> hitss

Question 27

Metathesis

Answer 27

Deviant phonological process
Reversal of two adjacent segments in a word, retaining the syllable structure of the word.
Eg. task –> taks

Question 28

Migration

Answer 28

Deviant phonological process
One element of the word moves to another position in the word.
Eg. snow –> nows

Question 29

Sound preference

Answer 29

Deviant phonological process
The substitution of a preferred or favourite consonant for a group of consonants.
Eg. fish –> wish or big –> wig

Question 30

Glottalisation

Answer 30

Deviant phonological process
The substitution of a glottal stop for a consonant in the middle or end of a word.
Eg. coat –> koah or butter –> buher.