Rights Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License P.1 Bilingual (Cantonese and Putonghua) Phonological Development: Dominance Perspective

The study investigated the similarities and differences in Cantonese and Putonghua phonological development in bilinguals with different language dominance. One hundred bilingual children aged from 2;6- 4;11 were recruited in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Cantonese Segmental Phonology Test (So, 1993) and Putonghua Segmental Phonology Test (So & Zhou, 2000) were used to elicit phonemes of both languages. The percentage phoneme correct, age of phoneme emergency and phonological processes were the measurements of phonological development. The result indicated that language dominance played a role in Cantonese and Putonghua phonological development. The rate of Cantonese, and Putonghua phonological development was faster in children with respective dominant language background than those with non-dominant language background. However, the phonological development of dominant language might not be faster than that of non-dominant language in a bilingual. Discussion on the theories, and the extent of influence of language background on bilingual phonological acquisitions was made. P.