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Preliminary

PHONOLOGY,
PHONOLOGICAL RULES,
PATTERN & PROCESS

December 05, 2023

What is Phonology?
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 Phonology is the study of sounds in a language.
The PEN versus PIN distinction is a pronunciation difference therefore, we are dealing with
phonology.
What are Phonological Processes (Patterns)?
Phonological Processes are patterns of sound errors that typically developing
children use to simplify speech while learning to talk. On the other hand, phonological
patterns are the rules that govern the way sounds are combined in a language.
Three (3) types of Phonological Processes:
1. ASSIMILATION (consonant harmony) - one sound becomes the same or similar to
another sound in the word.

Likely Age of
Process Description Example
Elimination

non-velar sound changes to a

Velar velar sound due to the
kack for tack; guck for duck 3
Assimilation presence of a neighboring
velar sound

non-nasal sound changes to a

Nasal nasal sound due to the money for funny;
3
Assimilation presence of a neighboring nunny for bunny
nasal sound

2. SUBSTITUTION - one sound is substituted for another sound in a systematic way.

Likely Age of
Process Description Example
Elimination**

sound made in the back

of the mouth (velar) is
Fronting replaced with a sound tar for car; date for gate 4
made in the front of the
mouth (e.g., alveolar)

fricative and/or affricate tee for see;

Stopping is replaced with a stop doo for zoo; berry for very; 3—5
sound top for chop; dump for jump;

liquid (/r/, /l/) is

Gliding replaced with a wabbit for rabbit; weg for leg 6–7
glide (/w/, /j/)

affricate is replaced with

Deaffrication ship for chip; zhob for job 4
a fricative

3. SYLLABLE STRUCTURE - sound changes that affect the syllable structure of a word.

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 Likely Age of
Process Description Example
Elimination**

consonant cluster is
Cluster with /s/ —
simplified into a single top for stopkeen for clean
Reduction 5without /s/ — 4
consonant

unstressed or weak
Weak Syllable
syllable in a word is nana for banana; tato for potato 4
Deletion
deleted

Final
deletion of the final bu for bus; no for nose;
Consonant 3
consonant of a word tree for treat
Deletion

Phonological rules speech processes naturally understood by speakers and listeners.

Four (4) types of Phonological Rules:
1. ASSIMILATION - when a sound becomes more like a neighboring sound with respect to
some phonetic property.
Examples: winter -> [winner] , center -> [cenner] , planter -> [planner]
Two (2) Major Categories of Assimilation:
a. Regressive – The phonemes that comes is affected by the one that comes after it.
Example: bad boy: /bæd boi/ -> /bæbboi/
b. Progressive – The phonemes that follow is affected by the one that comes before it.
Example: stand there: /stænd ðear/ -> /stæner/
2. DISSIMILATION - is a rule in which a segment becomes less similar to another segment.
Example: English adopted the French word marbre meaning “marble” and in doing so
dissimilated the
second /r/ to an /l/.
3. DELETION - removes a segment from certain phonetics contexts.
Rule: delete a word-final /b/ when it occurs after an /m/
Example: Bomb _> [bä m]
Rule: delete a /g/ when it occurs before a word- final nasal.
Example: Sign _> [sã jn]
4. INSERTION - insert a syllabic or non-syllabic segment. Also known as Epenthesis.
Example: Film _> [filəm] , Ankle _> [əŋkəl]
References

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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.

Peñ a-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.

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