LANGUAGE IN INDIA

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Volume 25:8 August 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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Phonological Process in Typical Children Speaking Tulu

Ms. Sharanya Jothiprakash Shetty and
Dr. Satish Kumaraswamy

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyse the occurrence and developmental progression of phonological processes in typically developing Tulu-speaking children aged 3.0 to 6.0 years. A total of 45 children were selected from preschools and primary schools in Coastal Karnataka. Speech samples were recorded during natural conversations and analysed for phonological simplification patterns. The results showed that younger children (3.0?3.11 years) frequently exhibited processes such as reduplication, stopping, fronting, cluster reduction, and final consonant deletion. These processes gradually declined with age and were largely absent by 5.0?5.11 years, except for cluster reduction which persisted in some cases. The findings were statistically significant and aligned with previous studies in Indian languages, emphasizing the importance of age-related phonological milestones. This study underlines the need for developing normative data in Tulu to support accurate clinical evaluation of speech development.

Keywords:Phonological processes, Tulu language, speech development, age-related trends, cluster reduction, Indian children, speech-language assessment

Introduction

Phonology is a branch of linguistics that focuses on how speech sounds are structured and function within different languages (Norquist, 2019). Spoken language may seem like a continuous stream of sound; the human brain naturally separates it into distinct units called phonemes. Each language follows its own rules for combining and using these sounds. As children grow, they gradually learn to understand and use these sounds accurately through a natural process of speech development.

Speech development in children frequently exhibits phonological processes and predictable patterns of sound simplification that facilitate word production. For example, a child may say ?pane? for ?plane? (cluster reduction) or ?tat? for ?cat? (fronting). These patterns are viewed as a normal part of speech acquisition and reflect strategies children use to manage the articulatory and cognitive demands of spoken language (Ingram, 1989; Dodd, Hua, Crosbie, Holm & Ozanne, 2003).

At present, speakers of at least 34 tribal communities in Manipur, including the 18 state-recognized tribal languages, use writing systems primarily rooted in these early missionary efforts. This shift marked a major cultural transformation, but the orthographies were often inconsistent. Often, they were designed to serve immediate missionary purposes, religious instruction and scripture reading, rather than long-term educational or linguistic needs. As a result, inconsistencies, phonological mismatches, and ad hoc spellings became embedded in the orthographic conventions passed down through generations (Grenoble & Whaley, 2006).

Phonological processes usually follow predictable patterns and tend to disappear as the child matures and gains better control over speech. However, if they continue beyond the expected age, they may indicate a phonological disorder, which is a type of speech sound disorder (SSD). Children with such difficulties may be hard to understand, and their speech may affect their ability to communicate clearly (Shriberg, Tomblin & McSweeny, 1994; Dodd, Hua, Crosbie, Holm & Ozanne, 2003).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Ms. Sharanya Jothiprakash Shetty
Final Post Graduate Student
Dr. M.V. Shetty College of Speech and Hearing
Malady Court, Kavoor, Mangalore-15
sharanyajshetty24@gmail.com
+91 8668860873
&
Dr. Satish Kumaraswamy
Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing
Dr. M.V. Shetty College of Speech and Hearing
Malady Court, Kavoor, Mangalore-15
sat8378@yahoo.com
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