ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses several theories of phonological development are briefly described and their strengths and weaknesses. The structuralist theory, proposed by R. Jakobson in 1941, postulates a relationship between phonological acquisition in children, phonological universals of the languages of the world and phonological dissolution with aphasia. The chapter explores requirements of a theory; theories; the nature of disordered phonology; the relationship of current theories and phonological disorders; and suggestions for future theories. The behaviourist theory, introduced by H. O. Mowrer and adapted by H. Winitz and D. Olmsted, emphasizes the role of contingent reinforcement in phonological acquisition and is general enough to account for the speech of ‘talking birds’ as well as children. The prosodic theory, proposed by N. Waterson, assumes that speech perception, as well as production, is developing during the early stages of meaningful speech.
