Acquisition process of the alveolar lateral by dizygotic twins

Abstract

Several studies have found that the acquisition of language by twins occurs more slowly than by non-twin children (LURIA; YUDOVITCH, 1985; ZAZZO, 1978; RUTTER et al., 2003; RICE et al., 2014).  Given this finding, this study describes and analyzes the acquisition of the alveolar lateral by dizygotic twins that are monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese (PB), to verify if there is delay or deviation in this process. Thus, attempts of the siblings to produce the /l/ sound in onset position were analyzed, between the ages of 1:4 (one year and four months) to 4:0 (four years), considering the paths taken by the subjects, especially regarding repair strategies employed and the age in which they acquired the alveolar lateral. After collecting the data on the siblings’ path towards the acquisition of the alveolar lateral and comparing their performances with the specialized literature observations, the infants presented less adequate productions and therefore more repair strategies, especially between ages 1:8 and 2:7. After 2:8, however, the siblings manifested similar performances to those demonstrated in the literature, acquiring the lateral alveolar within what other studies predicted. In general terms, research conclusions indicate that the twins did not present delay in the acquisition of the alveolar lateral. The children employed more repair strategies than the adequate production of /l/ in initial age groups. However, both children showed similarities to data in the literature, acquiring /l/ between 2:8 and 2:11.