Research on differences in phonological development across cultures indicates that the:
A) target language has little influence on the order in which the child learns sounds.
B) difficulty of acquiring sounds is directly related to developmental milestones.
C) frequency with which children hear sounds determines the order in which the child learns the sound.
D) frequency with which the sound is used in a language determines the order in which the child learns the sound.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research suggests that the frequency with which a sound is used in a language determines the order in which the child learns the sound. For example, in English, the sounds /p/ and /b/ are learned earlier than the sound /θ/. However, in Greek, the sound /θ/ is learned earlier than the sounds /p/ and /b/ because it is used more frequently in the language. Therefore, cultural and linguistic factors strongly influence phonological development.

Research on Differences in Phonological Development Across Cultures Indicates That