A nonlinear analysis of phonological disability

In the spirit of Gandour (1981) a reanalysis is presented of the speech of a 6-yr-old language delayed child, Rosey, whose phonologic disorder has been discussed by Grunwell (1982). A revealing account of the data can be given by adopting a nonlinear framework; specifically, recent amendments to Goldsmith's (1976) theory of autosegmental phonology. This analysis borrows from autosegmental accounts of Arabic morphology, reduplication, and Kikuyu tone shift (all of which are briefly described). The processes postulated to explain the "deviant" pattern of data, hence, are all well motivated from the grammars of other languages. The analysis is contrasted with a "classical" (SPE) generative analysis and, thus, provides indirect evidence in favor of autosegmental theory over the classical theory. At the same time, the position of such phonologic analyses in psycholinguistic models of acquisition is briefly discussed.