The acquisition of Afrikaans phonemes in children aged 24–72 months

PURPOSE AND AIMS OF THE STUDY : The primary aim of this study was to determine and describe the ages of acquisition of the various Afrikaans phonemes according to the theoretical framework of 75% correct production by children aged 24–72 months. The phonemes studied included all Afrikaans vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs), single consonants, and consonant clusters. The sub-aim of the study was to determine if there were any differences between male and female participants for all age groups of the study regarding the ages of acquisition of phonemes. After the researcher had conducted an extensive and comprehensive literature review, it was discovered that only limited data are currently available about the acquisition of Afrikaans phonemes. Information that was available regarding the acquisition of Afrikaans phonemes, before the current study was conducted, was published over 40 years ago and did not cover phoneme acquisition between the ages of 24 and 36 months, the acquisition of vowels, or possible differences in acquisition between males and females per age group. METHOD : The study population consisted of 150 participants (30 participants per age group) for the age groups two to six years. All age groups had the same number of male and female participants (15 males and 15 females). Participants presented with typical development, normal hearing and typical language development, and normal anatomical structures and physiological functions of the oral and facial structures. Phoneme production of the participants was assessed using two assessment instruments, namely, the Afrikaanse Dieptetoets vir die Artikulasie van Foneme and the Afrikaanse Artikulasie Ondersoek. A self-compiled vowel repetition task was also included in the research procedures to assess the participants’ production of Afrikaans vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs). Data collection procedures were initially conducted face-to-face by the researcher, but the procedures were adapted to online data collection due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION : The results of the study show that all Afrikaans vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs) were acquired by the age of two years. Although the two-year-old age group as a whole had acquired the /œ:/ monophthong, the female group had not yet acquired this monophthong by the age of two years as the production accuracy did not exceed the 75% criterion. However, there were no significant statistical differences in the acquisition of vowels, including monophthongs and diphthongs, by males and females from the age of two years up to the age of six years. Afrikaans single consonants were all acquired by the age of five years. Consonants were mainly acquired in the following sequence: plosives, the approximant, nasals, the lateral, affricates, fricatives, and lastly the trill. All Afrikaans plosive consonants, namely /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/, and /g were acquired by the age of two years. The approximant, /j/, was acquired at the age of two years. The two Afrikaans affricates, /ʧ/ and /dʒ/, were acquired by the age of three years. The four Afrikaans nasal consonants namely /m/, /n/, /ɲ/ and /ŋ/ were also acquired by three years. The Afrikaans lateral consonant, /l/, was acquired at the age of three years. All Afrikaans fricatives, /ɦ/, /f/, /v/, /s/, /ʃ/, /z/, and /x/, were acquired at the age of four years. The trill /r/ was the last consonant to be acquired in Afrikaans, namely by the age of five years. Females seem to acquire single consonants earlier than males, although not statistically significantly earlier. The p-value of Fisher’s Exact test indicated that there are no significant statistical differences in the ages of acquisition of all Afrikaans single consonants between males and females across all age groups (24–72 months). All Afrikaans consonant clusters were acquired by the age of five years. The p-value of Fisher’s Exact test found significant statistical differences in the age of acquisition of three consonant clusters, namely the /sp/, /sk/, and /sl/ clusters. There was a significant statistical difference in the acquisition of the /sp/ cluster (x2 = 0,035, p = 0,035) between males and females at the age of three years and for the /sk/ (x2 = 0,04, p = 0,04) and /sl/ (x2 = 0,01, p = 0,01) clusters by four years. No significant statistical differences were discovered for any other consonant cluster across all age groups. CONCLUSION : Overall, all Afrikaans phonemes are acquired by the age of five years. In general, females seem to acquire Afrikaans consonants and consonant clusters earlier than males while no statistically significant differences were noted in the production of vowels.DOEL : Die hoofdoel was om die ouderdom waarop Afrikaanse foneme deur kinders van die ouderdomsgroep 24–72 maande verwerf word, te beskryf volgens die teoretiese raamwerk van 75% korrekte produksie. Die subdoel was om te bepaal of ’n verskil in verwerwing tussen manlike en vroulike kinders per ouderdomsgroep gevind kon word. METODE : Die studiebevolking het uit 150 deelnemers bestaan (30 per ouderdomsgroep, 15 manlik en 15 vroulik), ouderdom 24–72 maande. Die Afrikaanse Dieptetoets vir die Artikulasie van Foneme en die Afrikaanse Artikulasie Ondersoek is gebruik om foneemproduksie te assesseer. ’n Nabootsingtaak is uitgevoer om die produksie van vokaalklanke te assesseer. RESULTATE : Alle vokaal- en plofklanke is teen die ouderdom van twee jaar verwerf. Die twee affrikate, vier nasale klanke en die laterale klank is teen die ouderdom van drie jaar verwerf. Alle frikatiewe is teen vier jaar verwerf terwyl die trilklank teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar verwerf is. Daar was geen beduidende verskil tussen manlike en vroulike deelnemers ten opsigte van die verwerwing van vokaalklanke nie. Vroulike deelnemers het konsonante vroeër as hulle manlike eweknieë verwerf, maar dit was nie ’n statisties beduidende verskil nie. Alle konsonantkombinasies is teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar verwerf. Daar was ’n beduidende verskil tussen manlike en vroulike deelnemers op die ouderdom van drie jaar vir die verwerwing van /sp/ (x2 = 0,035, p = 0,035), asook van /sk/ (x2 = 0,04, p = 0,04) en /sl/ (x2 = 0,01, p = 0,01) op die ouderdom van vier jaar. Geen beduidende verskille het op enige ouderdomsvlak vir die ander konsonantkombinasies voorgekom nie. GEVOLGTREKKING : Teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar is al die foneme verwerf. Oor die algemeen lyk dit of vroulike deelnemers die konsonante en konsonantkombinasies van Afrikaans op ’n vroeër ouderdom as manlike deelnemers verwerf het.Suid Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap & Kunshttp://tgwsak.co.zahj2022Science, Mathematics and Technology EducationSpeech-Language Pathology and Audiolog