A Distinctive Feature Analysis of Deviant Articulation

Abstract

This study analyzed articulatory errors within the Chomsky and Halle (1968) distinctive feature framework. Fourteen children aged between 4:6 and 4:9 years, and 6:6 and 6:9 years were selected for the study. Their responses to the Edinburgh Articulation Test were analyzed. The method of feature analysis is described. Thirteen of the subjects possessed a feature system. All the subjects experienced difficulty with the strident and high features, but as a whole their feature systems were different. The application of distinctive feature theory to deviant speech has indicated that the mis-articulations were not random but followed a rule system. Data was also evaluated within a developmental framework. Comparison with another study indicated that there may be a universal hierarchy of feature distinctions among deviant speakers. Errors in distinctive features may be a clue for determining the level of speech intelligibility. The nature of the relationship between the phonological systems of deviant and normal speakers was discussed.