Selected Phonological Processes (Patterns)*
| Assimilation (Consonant Harmony)
One sound becomes the same or similar to another sound in the word |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Process | Description | Example | Likely Age of Elimination** |
| Velar Assimilation | non-velar sound changes to a velar sound due to the presence of a neighboring velar sound |
kack for tack; guck for duck |
3 |
| Nasal Assimilation | non-nasal sound changes to a nasal sound due to the presence of a neighboring nasal sound |
money for funny; nunny for bunny |
3 |
| Substitution
One sound is substituted for another sound in a systematic way |
|||
| Process | Description | Example | Likely Age of Elimination** |
| Fronting | sound made in the back of the mouth (velar) is replaced with a sound made in the front of the mouth (e.g., alveolar) |
tar for car; date for gate |
4 |
| Stopping | fricative and/or affricate is replaced with a stop sound |
pun for fun; tee for see doo for zoo; berry for very top for shop; top for chop; dump for jump; dat for that |
/f, s/ — 3 /z, v/ — 4 sh, ch, j, th — 5 |
| Gliding | liquid (/r/, /l/) is replaced with a glide (/w/, /j/) |
wabbit for rabbit; weg for leg |
6–7 |
| Deaffrication | affricate is replaced with a fricative | ship for chip; zhob for job | 4 |
| Syllable Structure
Sound changes that affect the syllable structure of a word |
|||
| Process | Description | Example | Likely Age of Elimination** |
| Cluster Reduction | consonant cluster is simplified into a single consonant |
top for stop keen for clean |
with /s/ — 5 without /s/ — 4 |
| Weak Syllable Deletion | unstressed or weak syllable in a word is deleted |
nana for banana; tato for potato |
4 |
| Final Consonant Deletion | deletion of the final consonant of a word | bu for bus; no for nose; tree for treat | 3 |
|
*These are common phonological processes (patterns). The list is not exhaustive. **Individual differences can be significant. References Bauman-Waengler, J. A. (2012). Articulatory and phonological impairments. New York, NY: Pearson Higher Education. Bernthal, J., Bankson, N. W., & Flipsen, P., Jr. (2013). Articulation and phonological disorders. New York, NY: Pearson Higher Education. References for Likely Age of Elimination Peña-Brooks, A., & Hegde, M. N. (2015). Assessment and Treatment of Speech Sound Disorders in Children: A Dual-Level Text. Austin, TX: PRO-ED. Shipley, K. G., & McAfee, J. G. (2016). Assessment in speech-language pathology: A resource manual. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. |
|||
