Emergence and acquisition of the non-lateral liquid in simple onset in two Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil cities

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigated the emergence and acquisition of /R/ in simple onset, because in this position there is the possibility of different variants, according to the considered dialect. Purpose: This study had the purpose to verify the /R/ emergence and acquisition in children who live in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil and Crissiumal, RS, Brazil. Method: In Santa Maria the sample consists of 60 interviews and in Crissiumal there are 76 interviews. The subjects were children between 1:6 and 4:2 years old. The emergence of a phoneme occurs when two children into the same age group can produce the phoneme correctly at least once. To consider the /R/ as acquired, at least 85% of the words into the same age group should be correctly produced for three consecutive age groups. Results: It is possible to conclude that when the children who live in Santa Maria are 2:0 the phoneme is acquired; and in Crissiumal the /R/ is acquired when the children are 2:2. In Santa Maria the /R/ stabilization occurs in initial onset when the children are 3:6 and in medial onset when they are 3:4. In Crissiumal the phoneme is acquired when the children are 4:2 in initial onset and when they are 4:0 in medial onset. Conclusion: So, the children who live in Santa Maria acquire the /R/ earlier when compared with the children who live in Crissiumal, because of the dialectal variation. Besides, in Santa Maria and in Crissiumal the /R/ is acquired earlier in medial onset and, after that, in initial onset