The Development of Superheavy Syllables in Jordanian Child Speech: Acoustic and Computational Analyses

Abstract

The study investigates syllable structure development in Jordanian Arabic (JA) child speech, focusing on superheavy syllables, which are often avoided in the literature due to their complexity. JA provides unique typological features for phonological analysis but remains under-researched compared to other Arabic dialects and West Germanic languages. The effects of age group, lexical stress, syllable structure, and syllable position on syllable and vowel durations were analysed. JA durational patterns contribute to the understanding of normal phonological development, typological variation, and stress assignment in Arabic dialectical phonology.

Twenty-one children aged between 24 and 72 months old and four adults were recruited. Adults carried out semi-spontaneous speech and repetition tasks whereas children completed an additional picture-elicitation task. For data analysis, a quantitative approach was employed, which involved acoustic analysis and Bayesian modelling of raw durations. An analysis of type and frequency of phonological processes was reported demonstrating an aspect of the normal developmental trajectory.

Results revealed that durations decreased with maturation, reflecting improved articulatory control, although the oldest child group did not match adult-like patterns. Lexical stress was not a strong predictor for duration as stress is determined by syllable weight and position. However, consistent word-final lengthening was observed. Syllable structure was a key predictor for durations, with superheavy syllables being longer than heavy and light syllables. Vowel shortening in non-final superheavy syllables was evident, rendering them bimoraic and not trimoraic. With maturation, superheavy syllables increased in frequency and complexity, demonstrating increased prosodic variability. Phonological processes were more frequent in younger age groups, particularly in stressed, final, and superheavy syllables.

The findings emphasize the role of syllable development in informing practical implications for speech-language pathology. Superheavy syllable durational patterns may serve as early indicators of speech production delays and deficits, aiding in the diagnosis and intervention of speech disorders in JA children.