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Phonetic Inventory and Syllable Structure Types amongst Typically Developing Children and Late-Talkers Speaking Tamil at 2 Years of Age: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Title: Phonetic Inventory and Syllable Structure Types amongst Typically Developing Children and Late-Talkers Speaking Tamil at 2 Years of Age: A Cross-Sectional Study
Language: English
Authors: Roshini Leninkumar, Adhirai Garibaldi, Lakshmi Venkatesh (ORCID 0000-0002-1918-6998)
Source: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. 2025 60(5).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Phonetics, Syllables, Delayed Speech, Toddlers, Dravidian Languages, Foreign Countries, Child Language, Language Acquisition, Phonemes, Vowels, Phonology, Measures (Individuals), Articulation (Speech)
Geographic Terms: India
DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.70120
ISSN: 1368-2822
1460-6984
Abstract: Background: Tamil is a member of the Dravidian language family, and it is spoken extensively in several South Asian countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. The phonological development of Tamil-speaking children is examined in the current study within the context of lexical development by including children with typical language development (TD) and late talkers (LTs). The current study was conducted amongst Tamil-speaking children in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. Aims: The study aimed to compare the size and nature of the phonetic inventory, the proportion of consonants, vowels and syllable structure types amongst Tamil-speaking children with TD and LTs around 24 months. Methods and Procedures: The study included 68 Tamil-speaking children, comprising 34 LTs and 34 age- and gender-matched TD children. All children were born preterm and were assessed after their second birthdays as per their adjusted age for prematurity (M = 24.38 months; SD = 1.45). Language samples were recorded during free play and interaction with the caregiver. The transcription of children's spontaneous speech was subjected to independent analyses of speech to derive the phonological characteristics. Outcomes and Results: LTs produced a significantly lower phonetic inventory (Mdn = 8.5) than TD children (Mdn = 15.5). Only consonants /p/ and /m/ were produced by 90% of Tamil-speaking LTs. In comparison, 90% of TD children produced a wide range of consonants over different manners of articulation, including nasals, semi-vowels and stops. Tamil's retroflex consonants and geminate clusters emerged early in TD children's productions; fricatives and affricates were limited. LTs produced a significantly higher proportion of front vowels and a significantly lower proportion of mid- and back vowels than TD children. Syllable structures produced by LTs predominantly consisted of monosyllables and reduplicated syllables compared to TD children's wide range of complex structures. Conclusions and Implications: The data contribute to an emerging database on early phonological development in Tamil as spoken in Tamil Nadu, India. Observations from 2-year-old LTs and TD children speaking Tamil revealed similarities with English (bilabials, alveolar stops, disyllable and monosyllable production) and differences in line with distinct phonological characteristics of Tamil (lesser production of fricatives, back vowels and closed syllables). The study provides clinical information relevant to the assessment and intervention of young children with phonological and lexical delays.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1484226
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Phonetic Inventory and Syllable Structure Types amongst Typically Developing Children and Late-Talkers Speaking Tamil at 2 Years of Age: A Cross-Sectional Study
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roshini+Leninkumar%22">Roshini Leninkumar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adhirai+Garibaldi%22">Adhirai Garibaldi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lakshmi+Venkatesh%22">Lakshmi Venkatesh</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1918-6998">0000-0002-1918-6998</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Language+%26+Communication+Disorders%22"><i>International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders</i></searchLink>. 2025 60(5).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 16
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonetics%22">Phonetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Syllables%22">Syllables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Delayed+Speech%22">Delayed Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toddlers%22">Toddlers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dravidian+Languages%22">Dravidian Languages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Language%22">Child Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonemes%22">Phonemes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vowels%22">Vowels</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonology%22">Phonology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measures+%28Individuals%29%22">Measures (Individuals)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Articulation+%28Speech%29%22">Articulation (Speech)</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22India%22">India</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/1460-6984.70120
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1368-2822<br />1460-6984
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Tamil is a member of the Dravidian language family, and it is spoken extensively in several South Asian countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. The phonological development of Tamil-speaking children is examined in the current study within the context of lexical development by including children with typical language development (TD) and late talkers (LTs). The current study was conducted amongst Tamil-speaking children in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. Aims: The study aimed to compare the size and nature of the phonetic inventory, the proportion of consonants, vowels and syllable structure types amongst Tamil-speaking children with TD and LTs around 24 months. Methods and Procedures: The study included 68 Tamil-speaking children, comprising 34 LTs and 34 age- and gender-matched TD children. All children were born preterm and were assessed after their second birthdays as per their adjusted age for prematurity (M = 24.38 months; SD = 1.45). Language samples were recorded during free play and interaction with the caregiver. The transcription of children's spontaneous speech was subjected to independent analyses of speech to derive the phonological characteristics. Outcomes and Results: LTs produced a significantly lower phonetic inventory (Mdn = 8.5) than TD children (Mdn = 15.5). Only consonants /p/ and /m/ were produced by 90% of Tamil-speaking LTs. In comparison, 90% of TD children produced a wide range of consonants over different manners of articulation, including nasals, semi-vowels and stops. Tamil's retroflex consonants and geminate clusters emerged early in TD children's productions; fricatives and affricates were limited. LTs produced a significantly higher proportion of front vowels and a significantly lower proportion of mid- and back vowels than TD children. Syllable structures produced by LTs predominantly consisted of monosyllables and reduplicated syllables compared to TD children's wide range of complex structures. Conclusions and Implications: The data contribute to an emerging database on early phonological development in Tamil as spoken in Tamil Nadu, India. Observations from 2-year-old LTs and TD children speaking Tamil revealed similarities with English (bilabials, alveolar stops, disyllable and monosyllable production) and differences in line with distinct phonological characteristics of Tamil (lesser production of fricatives, back vowels and closed syllables). The study provides clinical information relevant to the assessment and intervention of young children with phonological and lexical delays.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1484226
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  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/1460-6984.70120
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Phonetics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Syllables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Delayed Speech
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Toddlers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dravidian Languages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phonemes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vowels
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phonology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Measures (Individuals)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Articulation (Speech)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: India
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Phonetic Inventory and Syllable Structure Types amongst Typically Developing Children and Late-Talkers Speaking Tamil at 2 Years of Age: A Cross-Sectional Study
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            NameFull: Roshini Leninkumar
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            NameFull: Adhirai Garibaldi
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            NameFull: Lakshmi Venkatesh
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              M: 09
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 60
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              Value: 5
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            – TitleFull: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
              Type: main
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