Acquisition of Welsh phonology

Mayr, Robert, Lewis, Rhonwen and Morris, Jonathan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3463-5277 2025. Acquisition of Welsh phonology. Chondrogianni, Vicky, O'Toole, Ciara and Thomas, Enlli, eds. The Acquisition of Celtic Languages, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 109-130. (10.1017/9781009284899.007)

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Abstract

This chapter provides an up-to-date review of the literature on the phonetic and phonological patterns of Welsh and their development. While typically developing children’s acquisition constitutes a major component, it also discusses socio-phonetic variation and adult second language acquisition, thereby approaching Welsh speech development from a lifespan perspective. The chapter is structured in four major sections. The first section introduces the reader to the segmental and suprasegmental properties of the two main varieties of Welsh: Northern and Southern Welsh. Subsequently, the second section considers methodological aspects of studies on Welsh phonology, while the third section focuses on children’s development of Welsh speech patterns, starting with evidence from studies on early word productions before moving on to a discussion of consonant and consonant cluster acquisition in preschool and school-aged children. The section concludes with an account of developmental error patterns. The final major section then reviews the literature on the speech patterns of different groups of Welsh speakers and the role that extra-linguistic variables, such as sex/gender and language dominance, play in shaping these. Finally, studies on the Welsh accents of second language learners will be discussed. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Welsh
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics P Language and Literature > PB Modern European Languages P Language and Literature > PB Modern European Languages > PB1001 Celtic languages and literature
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISBN:	9781009284936
Last Modified:	13 Aug 2025 08:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/180299

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