Assessment Of Selected Phonological Issues In The Speech Of Down's Syndrome Individuals
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Date
2006
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Regardless of the language, all children can acquire essential components of their respective language by about the age of three or four. However, not all children can do this. Particularly, among the menta lly challenged people, Down's syndrome individuals cannot achieve this level. This is, however, d ue to some physiological, neurological as well as psychosocial problems. Amharic mother-tongue Down's syndrome individuals, similar to many other Down's syndrome individuals speaking other languages, are known for their language problems. Although there are important individual differences, it seems possible to specify some language defects holding true for these specific types of people. These kinds of individuals are highly identified with poor a rticulation as well as stuttering. It is obvious that good production of speech depends upon the speech organs being the appropriate size and working effectively. Nevertheless, in addition to some problems in nerve coordination, Amharic s peaking Down's syndrome individuals do not seem to have 'normal' oral cavity that would result in normal speech. Hence, due to some physiological anomalies in the oral cavity, they commit a number of phonological errors. Pa rticularly, they have great difficulties in articulating some palatal and ejective sounds.
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Down's syndrome individuals cannot achieve this level