Distinctive Features of Phonemes and First Language Acquisition by a Normally Developing Child Without Hearing Impairment: Evidence from Slovak

Abstract

Speech audiometry uses various types of perceptual tests for the diagnostics of hearing impairment. One of them is a matrix test (Akeroyd et al., 2015), originally prepared for adults, which fully respects the phonological rules of a language, including neutralizations of phonological oppositions based on distinctive features. The shorter version of this test, a so-called reduced matrix test, can be helpful in speech audiometry focusing on children and infants. The goal of our paper is to find out if distinctive features of phonemes are important in the process of first language acquisition. If yes, reduced matrix test aimed at children and infants can be created as a mere simplification of the matrix designed for adults (Panocová & Gregová, 2019). However, if distinctive features do not affect first language acquisition, completely new matrix has to be prepared  for infants.  The research was based on the longitudinal observation of two infants whose mother tongue is Slovak.