Developmental pattern
Vowelization
Vocalic /r/ and syllabic /l/ collapse into plain vowels.
- Resolves
- Vowelization of /l/ by 6;0 · Vowelization of /r/ by 7;0
- Sounds affected
- vocalic r (er, ar, or, air, ear, ire), syllabic l
- Word pairs
- 17
- Picture pairs
- 4
What it sounds like
- "bird" becomes "buhd"
- "apple" becomes "appo"
- "car" becomes "cah"
- "bowl" becomes "bow"
Also called: Vocalization, de-rhotacization
What is going on
When /r/ or /l/ sits at the end of a syllable with no vowel after it, it has to carry the whole syllable itself. That is hard. Vowelization is what happens when the child gives up the consonant work and just leaves the vowel behind - "flower" becomes "flowuh," "bottle" becomes "bottoo."
Vowelization is what most people hear as a "New York accent" or a "Boston accent" when it shows up in an adult, which is worth mentioning: in some dialects this is not an error at all. Before treating it, make sure it is not simply how the people around the child talk.
Try this at home
When to refer
Minimal pairs
4 picture pairsThese pairs have two distinct picture subjects. Put both pictures on the table and take turns asking for one. If the two words sound alike, slow down and compare the sounds together. The printable word list has additional listening contrasts. Tap any pair to open it full screen and score each turn with Yes! or Not quite.