Developmental Neurophysiology and Phonological Acquisition Order

Abstract

Reports of developing phonologies agree that the fricatives are generally acquired later than stops, and the hierarchy of distinctive features places [+ strident] at the foot of the list on the basis of linguistic evidence. Neurophysiological evidence seems to indicate that the differentiation of [+ strident] consonants is a function of degree of myelination of the auditory nerve and the cortical bodies with which it is connected. Evidence from pathological cases supports the hypothesis that differentiation of high frequencies is impaired in cases of demyelinating disease. It is concluded that the fricative consonants are acquired last because they are auditorily discriminated last by the developing child.