Truncation patterns in English-speaking children's word productions

This study examines English-speaking children's truncation patterns (i.e., syllable deletion patterns) in multisyllabic words to determine if they are consistent with metrical constraints or perceptual biases. It also examines segmental influences on children's truncations. Children, age 22-34 months, produced three-syllable novel and real words and four-syllable real words, which varied across stress and segmental pattern. Results revealed a significant stress pattern effect on truncation rate, but Findings were not consistent with metrical or perceptual salience predictions. The dearest account of the findings came from an analysis of truncation rate across individual words: Children truncated WSW (weak-strong-weak) words and words that contained intervocalic sonorants more frequently than other words. Analysis of truncation patterns in SWW and SWSW words revealed that final unstressed syllables were more frequently preserved than nonfinal unstressed syllables. Findings support the interaction between metrical, syllabic, and acoustic salience factors in children's multisyllabic word productions.