Early Sound Patterns in the Speech of Two Brazilian Portuguese Speakers

Abstract

Sound patterns in the speech of two Brazilian-Portuguesespeaking children are comparedwith early production patterns in English learning children as well as English and Brazilian Portuguese (BP) characteristics. The relationship between production system effects and ambient language influences in the acquisition of early sound patternsis of primary interest, as English and BP are characterized by differing phonological systems. Results emphasize the primacy of production system effects in early acquisition, although even the earliest word forms show evidence of perceptual effects from the ambient language in both BP children. Use of labials and coronals and low and midfront vowels in simple syllable shapes is consistent with acquisition data for this period across languages. However, potential ambient language influences include higher frequencies of dorsals, use of multisyllabic words, and different phone types in syllable off set position. These results suggest that to fully understand early acquisition of sound systems one must account for both production systemeffects and perceptual effects from the ambient language.