J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2014 Jun 1;57(3):1127-34. doi: 10.1044/2013_JSLHR-H-12-0371.
In this study, the authors explored phonological processing in connected speech in children with hearing loss. Specifically, the authors investigated these children's sensitivity to English place assimilation, by which alveolar consonants like t and n can adapt to following sounds (e.g., the word ten can be realized as tem in the phrase ten pounds).
Twenty-seven 4- to 8-year-old children with moderate to profound hearing impairments, using hearing aids (n = 10) or cochlear implants (n = 17), and 19 children with normal hearing participated. They were asked to choose between pictures of familiar (e.g., pen) and unfamiliar objects (e.g., astrolabe) after hearing t- and n-final words in sentences. Standard pronunciations (Can you find the pen dear?) and assimilated forms in correct (… pem please?) and incorrect contexts (… pem dear?) were presented.
As expected, the children with normal hearing chose the familiar object more often for standard forms and correct assimilations than for incorrect assimilations. Thus, they are sensitive to word-final place changes and compensate for assimilation. However, the children with hearing impairment demonstrated reduced sensitivity to word-final place changes, and no compensation for assimilation. Restricted analyses revealed that children with hearing aids who showed good perceptual skills compensated for assimilation in plosives only.
本研究旨在探讨听力损失儿童在连贯言语中语音处理的情况。具体而言，研究者们调查了这些儿童对英语音位同化的敏感性，音位同化指的是齿龈音（如 t 和 n）可以适应后续音（例如，单词 ten 可以在短语 ten pounds 中发音为 tem）。
27 名 4 至 8 岁中度至重度听力损失的儿童（使用助听器 n=10 或人工耳蜗植入 n=17）和 19 名听力正常的儿童参与了研究。他们在听到句子中的 t 和 n 结尾的单词后，需要从熟悉的物体（如 pen）和不熟悉的物体（如 astrolabe）图片中进行选择。呈现了标准发音（Can you find the pen dear?）和同化形式（… pem please?），以及正确（… pem dear?）和不正确（… pem dear?）的语境。
正如预期的那样，听力正常的儿童对标准形式和正确同化的选择比不正确同化的选择更频繁。因此，他们对词尾音位变化敏感，并能补偿同化现象。然而，听力受损的儿童对词尾音位变化的敏感性降低，并且不能补偿同化现象。进一步的分析显示，助听器使用者中表现出良好感知技能的儿童仅能补偿塞音的同化。
