Incongruencies between Theory of Language Universals and Phonological Development: A Case Study of Urdu Speaking Children

Abstract

Based on the 'Universal Markedness' theory, the study investigated the phonological processes, simplification, and substitution in Urdu speaking children. The data were collected by observing and recording the parent-child interaction in the natural environment. We reached the findings, not in line with the theses of 'Language Universals' regarding the period of language acquisition common to all languages. It also contradicted Jacobson's theses on the acquisition of voiceless phonemes before voiced consonants. We also identified departures between the predictions of the Universal Markedness and children's production patterns, indicating that theory alone cannot fully explain the developmental patterns. We found that development is sensitive to the input from the parents and the context of language use. Hence, we concluded that integration of input hypothesis and the best phonotactic models are needed to indicate the sensitivity of the language development and a full explanation is required for this process of development.