A markedness analysis of initial consonant clusters in Aphasic Phonological Impairment: A case study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess both the theoretical and clinical value of markedness theory in phonological impairment in aphasia. A markedness analysis was carried out on initial consonant clusters in a single aphasic adult, at two points during the spontaneous recovery phase. Results revealed systematic, rule-governed behaviour, reflecting similar linguistic trends, in terms of natural segments and natural processes, on both testing occasions. Some inadequacies of the distinctive feature approach are discussed. The findings of this study suggest that a markedness analysis may be extremely useful for the analysis and treatment of phonological disorders in aphasia.