Normal Acquisition of Consonant Clusters

Abstract

Children’s acquisition of adult-like speech production has fascinated speech-language pathologists for over a century, and data gained from associated research have informed every aspect of speech-language pathology practice. The acquisition of the consonant cluster has received little attention during this time, even though the consonant cluster is a common feature of speech, its acquisition is one of the most protracted of all aspects of children’s speech development, and the production of consonant clusters is one of the most common difficulties for children with speech impairment. This paper reviews the literature from the past 70 years to describe children’s normal acquisition of consonant clusters. Articulatory, phonological, linguistic, and acoustic approaches to the development of consonant clusters are reviewed. Data from English are supplemented with examples from other languages. Consideration of the information on consonant cluster development revealed 10 aspects of normal development that can be used in speech-language pathologists’ assessment and analysis of children’s speech.

Polysyllable productions in preschool children with speech sound disorders: Error categories and the Framework of Polysyllable Maturity

“…are in line with previously reported infrequency of these error patterns in children with typically developing speech and language (James et al, 2016;James, 2006;McLeod, van Doorn & Reed, 2001) and children with SSD (McLeod, van Doorn & Reed, 1997). Similarly, the infrequent demonstration of distortion of consonants or vowels was also unsurprising as distortions are more characteristic of children with articulation-based SSD (Shriberg et al, 2010).…”

A highly penetrant form of childhood apraxia of speech due to deletion of 16p11.2

“…Called "protowords" (Menn, 1978) or "phonetically consistent forms" (Dore et al, 1976). ;11 takes first steps 1;1 uses common objects appropriately 1;2 picks up small objects with thumb/finger 1;3 builds tower of 3-4 blocks 1;4 scribbles lines on paper 1;5 walk and run unassisted 1;6 walks up stairs 1;7 catches ball crudely 1;8 scribbles in circles 1;9 jump lifting both feet off the floor 1;10 climb, squat, kick a ball 1;11 put shoes on part way 2;0 turn book pages 2 or 3 at a time (McLaughlin, 1998) 2;0 -3;0 years "Unlike toddlers, preschoolers develop more freedom of movement and therefore, soon become trailblazers in every sense of the word" (McLaughlin, 1998, p. 271 /p√/= 3.7 per second; /t√/ = 3.7 per second /k√/ = 3.65 per second; patticake = 1.26/sec (Robbins & Klee, 1987) Maximum phonation time 2;6 -2;11 = 5.55sec (Robbins & Klee, 1987) A C Q U I R E D S O U N D S Consonants (females) Smit, et al, 1990) 2;0 = /m, n, h, g/ 2;6 = + / p, N, w, t, d, k/ 3;0 = + / j, f/ (Chirlian & Sharpley, 1982) Kilminster & Laird, 1978) Consonants (males) Smit, et al, 1990) 2;0 = /m, n/ 2;6 = + / N, d/ 3;0 = + / p, b, h, w, k, g/ (Chirlian & Sharpley, 1982) Kilminster & Laird, 1978) Consonant clusters "Two-year-old children can produce consonant clusters, but these may not be of the same form as the ambient language" (McLeod, van Doorn & Reed, 2001a).…”

“…Trends of typical consonant cluster development (McLeod et al, 2001a) 1. Two-year-old children can produce consonant clusters, but these clusters may not be of the same form as the ambient language.…”

The effect of phonotactic constraints in German-speaking children with delayed phonological acquisition: Evidence from production of word-initial consonant clusters

“…The acquisition of consonant clusters is considered to make high demands on children (Chin & Dinnsen, 1992;McLeod, van Doorn, & Reed, 2001b). Producing consonant clusters implies a more difficult and complex articulatory response than the production of CV-syllables, for example (McReynolds & Elbert, 1981).…”

“…Children's phonotactically illegal consonant clusters were documented in the appendices of a several studies, yet the authors did not comment further on their presence (Gierut & O'Connor, 2002;Ingram, 1976;Lorentz, 1974;Smit, 1993). McLeod et al (2001b) examined the production of phonotactically inadmissible consonant clusters. They deal with productions of the phonotactically illegal consonant clusters /bw-/ and /pw-/ in 2-and 3-year-old English-speaking children with typical language development.…”