Describing developing phonological systems: A response to Gierut

Gierut (1986) presents a case in which a phonological intervention program is used to effect a phonemic split in a child with a highly restricted phonological system. A reanalysis of her data in this article suggests that the intervention program did not induce a phonemic split because the sounds in question were represented distinctively in the child's system prior to intervention. Three alternatives to Gierut's analysis are presented and discussed. It is argued that both relational and independent analyses of children's phonologies that include reference to perceptual skills and knowledge are necessary to reveal the structures and processes involved in phonological development.