An Emerging Phonetic-Phonological System Two Years Post-Cochlear Impant: A Preliminary Linguistic Description

Author: Steven B. Chin, David B. Pisoni and William R. Svec

Abstract:
This report is a description of an emerging phonetic-phonological system as manifested in the productions of a prelingually deafened child approximately two years after fitting with a Nucleus 22-Channel Multi-Electrode Cochlear Implant. A probe list consisting of 23 proper nouns known to the child was used to elicit samples of her speech; stimulus materials consisted of photographs of those persons (friends and family members) whose names were included in the probe list. Analysis of the production data included determination of the phonetic inventory of consonants and vowels, determination of phonotactic constraints apparent in the productions, and analysis of production correspondence patterns. Results showed a non-age-appropriate phonetic-phonological system, comparable, however, in many aspects to normally developing systems at much earlier stages or to functionally misarticulated systems at somewhat earlier stages.