Implications of cluster substitution in Egyptian Arabic children: 30–48 months

Abstract Background Egyptian cluster substitution has not been targeted in Arabic phonology research. The clusters in the Egyptian language are bi-consonantal and word-final. They have a phonotactic prevalence of /r/ within the two consonants of the cluster. Their final position is also challenging for children during phoneme acquisition. This study adds important structure to the phonological development of Colloquial Egyptian Arabic (CEA) and to the Arabic phonological development in general. The aim is to analyze the substitutional phonological processes of consonant clusters (types and consonant position) used by Egyptian children before cluster acquisition and how they relate to singletons. Methods The study was applied to 150 typically developing (TD) monolingual Arabic Egyptian children, 30 to 48 months. They were divided into three age groups, 6-month interval each. Cluster substitution was assessed using the Egyptian Monosyllabic Consonant Cluster Test (EMCCT). The test contains 50 monosyllabic words commonly used in the Egyptian language, with word-final consonant clusters. Results Devoicing was the commonest cluster substitution process produced by Egyptian children (99.3%), followed by interdental sigmatism (48.7%) and lateralization of /r/ sound (34%). Substitution occurred in both consonants of the cluster but more commonly in the final one (C2). Conclusions Substitution in Egyptian clusters was affected by both place and manner of articulation of the substituted phoneme. It bore resemblance to the substitution of singletons. The final consonant of the cluster (C2) offered a preferred location for substitution. The pattern and position of cluster substitution present a rich addition to the field of Egyptian phonological development.