Intervocalic consonants in the acquisition of German: onsets, codas or something else?

Full Abstract

This study examines the behaviour of five phonemes /f, [symbol:
see text], ts, k, l/ in word-initial, word-final, and intervocalic positions in the productions of five German-speaking children (age 1;3 to 3;3 years) in order to determine the patterning of those intervocalic consonants--do they behave more like onsets or codas? The study also contrasts the behaviour of intervocalic consonants after short versus long vowels in view of the stance taken in the theoretical literature that intervocalic consonants after short vowels are ambisyllabic but not after long vowels. Findings show that out of 25 conditions (5 phonemes x 5 children), nine yield support for the patterning of intervocalic consonants as codas, two as onsets, and five as unique (neither coda nor onset). Three conditions yield support for the dual patterning of intervocalic consonants. In all other conditions, there was insufficient information to support their patterning with codas or with onsets. Results provide minimal support for different patterns of intervocalic consonants after short and long vowels; however, the lengthening and insertion of consonants after short vowels suggest that children are aware of the different phonological roles of intervocalic consonants after short and long vowels.

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Author information

Author/s: Kehoe, Margaret M (MM); Lleó, Conxita (C);

Affiliation: Center for Multilingualism, University of Hamburg, Max-Brauer-Allee 60, D-22765 Hamburg, Germany. margaret.kehoe(-atsign-)uni-hamburg.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Clinical linguistics & phonetics (Clin Linguist Phon), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2002 Apr-May; vol 16 (issue 3) : pp 169-82

Dates: Created 2002/06/14; Completed 2002/12/10; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12064026, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Infant
Language
Male
Phonetics
Verbal Learning

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