Phonologically disordered Cantonese-speaking children

Speech-disordered children are not a homogeneous group in terms of ætiology, severity, surface error patterns or response to specific treatment approaches. Previous research has suggested that they fall into subgroups that reflect different underlying deficits in the speech-processing chain (Dodd, 1993). One way of evaluating this classification of phonological disorder is by investigating its applicability to languages other than English. In this paper we describe the speech error patterns of 17 monolingual Cantonese-speaking children consecutively referred for assessment of disordered speech. Two had difficulties articulating specific speech sounds; eight showed a delayed pattern of development, i.e. their errors were appropriate for a younger child acquiring phonology normally; five used unusual (non-developmental) phonological rules (as well as some developmental ones); and two showed inconsistent (i.e. variable) patterns of errors. The possible nature of the deficits underlying each of these surface error patterns is discussed.