What are Phonological Patterns?

By Aamina (Speech Pathologist)

Phonological errors are different to sound errors, they are patterns that are simplified productions. These patterns are usually found in children who are learning how to talk, and they tend to simply the more complex words in a predictable manner. The following processes are typical errors which means that many children use them as part of their normal development however grow out of them overtime.

Atypical phonological processes are not seen in typically developing language learners. This may be a sign that a child has a phonological processing disorder. Some examples include initial consonant deletion, medial consonant deletion, glottal replacement, backing and stopping of glides.

Typical Phonological Patterns:

VELAR ASSIMILATION: A non-velar sound is changed to a velar sound because of the influence of another velar sound in a word, tack becomes “kack”

PRE-VOCALIC VOICING: A voiceless initial consonant is substituted with a voiced consonant, pig becomes” big”

FINAL CONSONANT DEVOICING A final voiced consonant is substituted with a voiceless consonant, pig becomes “pick

FINAL CONSONANT DELETION: The omission of the final consonant in a word, cat becomes “ka”

STOPPING OF FRICATIVES: A fricative is substituted with a stop sound, “four becomes “bore”; sun becomes “tun”

WEAK SYLLABLE DELETION:  The deletion of an unstressed or weak syllable, elephant becomes “efant”

VELAR AND PALATAL FRONTING: An alveolar sound is substituted with a velar sound, can becomes “tan”

CLUSTER REDUCTION: The replacement of a 2-elemetn cluster is simplified into a single consonant, stop becomes “top”.

DEAFFRICATION: An affricate is substituted with a fricative, chip becomes “ship”; job becomes “zhob”

STOPPING OF AFFRICATES: An affricate is substituted with a stop sound, chop becomes “top”; jump becomes “dump”

GLIDING: A liquid (/r,l/) is substituted with a glide (/w,y), run becomes “wun”, leg becomes “weg”

FRICATIVE SIMPLIFICATION: A labiodental or alveolar fricative is substituted with an interdental fricative with no change in voicing, thumb becomes “fum”