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This chapter reports the findings of a study investigating the possible influence of typological universals on the structuring of a second language phonology. Specifically, the study examines the frequency of modification of 2‐member and 3‐member onsets, the latter being more marked than the former (Greenberg, 1978). Though some evidence exists that longer onsets are modified more frequently than are shorter onsets (Anderson, 1987), the current study controls for a possible confounding factor—whether or not the onsets abide by the Universal Canonical Syllable Structure (UCSS). The UCSS states in part that the nucleus is the most sonorant constituent in a syllable and that segments comprising an onset will rise continuously in sonority from the most peripheral member through the nucleus (Cairns & Feinstein, 1982; Clements, 1990; Hooper, 1976; Kiparsky, 1979; Selkirk, 1984; Vennemann, 1988). All 1‐member onsets, by definition, abide by the UCSS, as any consonant will be less sonorant than the vowel constituting the nucleus. However, the UCSS is not an absolute universal, as some languages, including English, have complex onsets that violate the UCSS. In fact, all 3‐member onsets in English violate it. Previous research has demonstrated that onsets that violate the UCSS are more frequently modified than are those that do not, even when length is held constant (Carlisle, 1991b; Tropf, 1987). Consequently, any study that attempts to validly compare the frequency of modification of 2‐member and 3‐member onsets must examine only 2‐member onsets that violate the UCSS, given that all 3‐member onsets do. Such a control over the sonority relationships among the segments comprising the onsets guarantees that length is the actual variable being examined. The major contribution of this study is that it examines the production of onsets of different lengths while controlling for the sonority relationships among the segments in the onsets.

The Interlanguage Structural Conformity Hypothesis (Eckman, 1991) predicts that implicational universals influence the structuring of interlanguage phonology. Under one interpretation, L2 learners will modify more marked structures more frequently than less marked structures. This study tested that hypothesis by examining how frequently 11 young adult, native Spanish speakers modified English 2-and 3-member onsets, the latter being more marked than the former. The environments before the onsets and the sonority relationships among the consonants in the onsets were strictly controlled. Results indicate that (1) 3-member onsets were modified significantly more frequently than were 2-member onsets; and (2) epenthesis (the primary process of modification) occurred significantly more frequently after consonants than after vowels.Ever since the publication of the Markedness Differential Hypothesis (MDH-Eckman, 1977), much of the research in interlanguage phonology has examined the influence of implicational universals on the acquisition of a second language (L2) phonology

This article reports the findings of a longitudinal study in interlanguage phonology examining the production of two structures in a markedness relationship, biliteral and triliteral onsets, the latter being more marked than the former. This study specifically tests the Interlanguage Structure Conformity Hypothesis (ISCH) by measuring the acquisition of the onsets in the markedness relationship against a criterion measure of 80% correct production. The subjects were 10 native Spanish speakers enrolled in intermediate courses in a community college. Data were gathered twice over a period of 10 months. Results of the study fail to provide any counterevidence to the ISCH.

The Sonority Cycle (Clements 1990), consisting of the Core Syllabification Principle (CSP) and Feature Dispersion Principle (FDP), is a model of syllable structure that systematically reveals the markedness relationships among syllable margins. This paper presents the results of two studies testing the Sonority Cycle. The first study examines the production of biliteral and triliteral onsets, the latter being more marked than the former. The second study examines the production of three biliteral onsets differing in their sonority profile. Of the three, /.st-/ is the most marked because it violates the CSP. In turn /.sn-/ is more marked than /.sl-/ because of its higher dispersion value according to the FDP. Both studies found that less marked onsets are correctly produced more frequently than are more marked onsets.