PURPOSE AND AIMS OF THE STUDY : The primary aim of this study was to determine and describe the ages of acquisition of the
various Afrikaans phonemes according to the theoretical framework of 75% correct production
by children aged 24–72 months. The phonemes studied included all Afrikaans vowels
(monophthongs and diphthongs), single consonants, and consonant clusters. The sub-aim of
the study was to determine if there were any differences between male and female participants
for all age groups of the study regarding the ages of acquisition of phonemes. After the
researcher had conducted an extensive and comprehensive literature review, it was discovered
that only limited data are currently available about the acquisition of Afrikaans phonemes.
Information that was available regarding the acquisition of Afrikaans phonemes, before the
current study was conducted, was published over 40 years ago and did not cover phoneme acquisition between the ages of 24 and 36 months, the acquisition of vowels, or possible
differences in acquisition between males and females per age group.
METHOD : The study population consisted of 150 participants (30 participants per age group) for the
age groups two to six years. All age groups had the same number of male and female
participants (15 males and 15 females). Participants presented with typical development,
normal hearing and typical language development, and normal anatomical structures and
physiological functions of the oral and facial structures. Phoneme production of the participants
was assessed using two assessment instruments, namely, the Afrikaanse Dieptetoets vir die
Artikulasie van Foneme and the Afrikaanse Artikulasie Ondersoek. A self-compiled vowel
repetition task was also included in the research procedures to assess the participants’
production of Afrikaans vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs). Data collection procedures
were initially conducted face-to-face by the researcher, but the procedures were adapted to
online data collection due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION :
The results of the study show that all Afrikaans vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs) were
acquired by the age of two years. Although the two-year-old age group as a whole had acquired
the /œ:/ monophthong, the female group had not yet acquired this monophthong by the age of
two years as the production accuracy did not exceed the 75% criterion. However, there were
no significant statistical differences in the acquisition of vowels, including monophthongs and
diphthongs, by males and females from the age of two years up to the age of six years.
Afrikaans single consonants were all acquired by the age of five years. Consonants were
mainly acquired in the following sequence: plosives, the approximant, nasals, the lateral,
affricates, fricatives, and lastly the trill. All Afrikaans plosive consonants, namely /p/, /t/, /k/,
/b/, /d/, and /g were acquired by the age of two years. The approximant, /j/, was acquired at
the age of two years. The two Afrikaans affricates, /ʧ/ and /dʒ/, were acquired by the age of
three years. The four Afrikaans nasal consonants namely /m/, /n/, /ɲ/ and /ŋ/ were also acquired
by three years. The Afrikaans lateral consonant, /l/, was acquired at the age of three years.
All Afrikaans fricatives, /ɦ/, /f/, /v/, /s/, /ʃ/, /z/, and /x/, were acquired at the age of four years.
The trill /r/ was the last consonant to be acquired in Afrikaans, namely by the age of five years.
Females seem to acquire single consonants earlier than males, although not statistically
significantly earlier. The p-value of Fisher’s Exact test indicated that there are no significant
statistical differences in the ages of acquisition of all Afrikaans single consonants between
males and females across all age groups (24–72 months).
All Afrikaans consonant clusters were acquired by the age of five years. The p-value of
Fisher’s Exact test found significant statistical differences in the age of acquisition of three
consonant clusters, namely the /sp/, /sk/, and /sl/ clusters. There was a significant statistical
difference in the acquisition of the /sp/ cluster (x2 = 0,035, p = 0,035) between males and
females at the age of three years and for the /sk/ (x2 = 0,04, p = 0,04) and /sl/ (x2 = 0,01, p =
0,01) clusters by four years. No significant statistical differences were discovered for any other
consonant cluster across all age groups.
CONCLUSION :
Overall, all Afrikaans phonemes are acquired by the age of five years. In general, females
seem to acquire Afrikaans consonants and consonant clusters earlier than males while no
statistically significant differences were noted in the production of vowels.
DOEL :
Die hoofdoel was om die ouderdom waarop Afrikaanse foneme deur kinders van die
ouderdomsgroep 24–72 maande verwerf word, te beskryf volgens die teoretiese raamwerk
van 75% korrekte produksie. Die subdoel was om te bepaal of ’n verskil in verwerwing tussen
manlike en vroulike kinders per ouderdomsgroep gevind kon word.
METODE :
Die studiebevolking het uit 150 deelnemers bestaan (30 per ouderdomsgroep, 15 manlik en
15 vroulik), ouderdom 24–72 maande. Die Afrikaanse Dieptetoets vir die Artikulasie van
Foneme en die Afrikaanse Artikulasie Ondersoek is gebruik om foneemproduksie te assesseer.
’n Nabootsingtaak is uitgevoer om die produksie van vokaalklanke te assesseer.
RESULTATE :
Alle vokaal- en plofklanke is teen die ouderdom van twee jaar verwerf. Die twee affrikate,
vier nasale klanke en die laterale klank is teen die ouderdom van drie jaar verwerf. Alle
frikatiewe is teen vier jaar verwerf terwyl die trilklank teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar verwerf
is. Daar was geen beduidende verskil tussen manlike en vroulike deelnemers ten opsigte van
die verwerwing van vokaalklanke nie. Vroulike deelnemers het konsonante vroeër as hulle
manlike eweknieë verwerf, maar dit was nie ’n statisties beduidende verskil nie.
Alle konsonantkombinasies is teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar verwerf. Daar was ’n
beduidende verskil tussen manlike en vroulike deelnemers op die ouderdom van drie jaar vir
die verwerwing van /sp/ (x2 = 0,035, p = 0,035), asook van /sk/ (x2 = 0,04, p = 0,04) en /sl/ (x2
= 0,01, p = 0,01) op die ouderdom van vier jaar. Geen beduidende verskille het op enige
ouderdomsvlak vir die ander konsonantkombinasies voorgekom nie.
GEVOLGTREKKING :
Teen die ouderdom van vyf jaar is al die foneme verwerf. Oor die algemeen lyk dit of vroulike
deelnemers die konsonante en konsonantkombinasies van Afrikaans op ’n vroeër ouderdom
as manlike deelnemers verwerf het.
