Acquisition of Phonology in a Creole Tok Pisin-Speaking Population of Highlands Children, Papua New Guinea: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

This first clinical linguistic study in Papua New Guinea supports emerging speech-language pathology services. It examines Tok Pisin consonant acquisition in 80 multilingual Highlands children, aged three to six. Children's consonant phonetic and phonological inventories and use of developmental processes were studied. Results showed higher mean percentage consonants correct and fewer processes with age, featuring variation within and between age groups. The influence of both substrate language and creolisation were evident in consonant use.