Abstract

This book critically examines the effects of language specificity on phonological acquisition and disorder through a collection of empirical studies of children learning typologically very different languages. The studies address many theoretical, clinical and methodological issues, such as: What role do developmental universals and the ambient language play in language acquisition? How should one account for the similarities and differences in the phonological development between normally and atypically developing children, between monolingual and bilingual children, and between bilingual children sharing one language? What implications do these similarities and differences have for clinical assessment and diagnosis? The book provides much-needed baseline information for clinical assessment and diagnosis.

This is a useful book for therapists working with bilingual children as well as those who are researching phonological acquisition or want to increase their knowledge in this area.

This volume contributes a vast amount of information on the phonological development of little studied languages and language combinations. It provides data for the researcher into monolingual and bilingual typical and atypical phonological development. As well, the clinician will find useful normative data and therapy guidelines.

Phonological development and disorders: A multilingual perspective fills a big gap in the knowledge base of those working in the field of child phonology. The volume covers diverse languages, from Arabic to Telegu to Welsh, and children with diverse language profiles: monolingual and bilingual, typical and atypical. The contributors include leading scholars in the field. Hua and Dodd are to be congratulated for this comprehensive and well-written book which will be an important resource for researchers, clinicians, and students interested in phonological development.”

Zhu Hua, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in Language and Communication at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. She is the author of Phonological Development in Specific Contexts: Studies of Chinese-Speaking Children and joint author of DEAP: Differential Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology. She has published extensively on child language (Journal of Child Language, Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, etc.) and on cross-cultural pragmatics (Journal of Pragmatics, Multilingua, Language and Intercultural Communication, etc). Barbara Dodd, PhD, is Research Professor at the University of Queensland, Australia. She is the author of Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Speech disordered children; joint editor of Hearing by Eye: The psychology of lip-reading, Evaluating Theories of Language: Implications from communication disorders, Hearing by Eye II: Advances in the psychology of speech-reading and audio-visual speech, joint author of QUIL: Queensland University Inventory of Literacy, PIPA: Preschool and Primary Inventory of Phonological Awareness, and DEAP: Differential Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology.