Presentation - ECV2024-508

Children’s speech development: Cantonese

Carol K. S. TO, The University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China (tokitsum@hku.hk)
Pamela CHEUNG, Child Assessment Service, HKSAR, China (pspcheung@hotmail.com)

Cantonese is a tone language with 9 lexical tones. Its speech sound inventory includes 19 consonants, 11 vowels, 11 diphthongs, and no consonant clusters. Chinese script is a logographic writing system with characters as the basic unit. Studies on children’s acquisition of Cantonese speech have demonstrated language specific features as well as patterns common in the acquisition of English. Researchers have focused on Cantonese speech problems related to speech sound disorders, hearing impairment, and cleft-palate. Common speech assessments include the Hong Kong Cantonese Articulation Test and the Cantonese Segmental Phonology Test.

Key words:
Chinese, Cantonese, multilingual, communication, speech, language, children’s development, interdisciplinary, international communities, assessment, intervention

Book chapter:
To, C., K. S., & Cheung, P. (2025). Cantonese speech development. In S. McLeod (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of speech development in languages of the world. Oxford University Press.

Language overview presentation:

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

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