Babatsouli (2019) A Phonological Assessment Test For Child Greek
Babatsouli (2019) A Phonological Assessment Test For Child Greek
Babatsouli (2019) A Phonological Assessment Test For Child Greek
Elena Babatsouli
To cite this article: Elena Babatsouli (2019): A phonological assessment test for child Greek,
Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, DOI: 10.1080/02699206.2019.1569164
Introduction
This study proposes an assessment tool of child phonological development in standard
Modern Greek (el) (ISO 639.1, 2018), including predominant dialect characteristics, hereon
Greek. The proposed procedures aim at evaluating the typically and atypically developing
Greek speech of mono/multilingual children between 2;6 and 9;0 years, being representative
of targeted Greek phonotactics and utilising the methodology of a larger crosslinguistic
project (e.g. Bernhardt & Stemberger, 2017). Based on the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
definition, ‘test’ is ‘a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability
of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use’ (https://en.oxforddiction
aries.com/definition/test). On these grounds, the study develops a test (the procedures) to be
used in future cross-sectional phonological research on child developmental Greek and
provides an illustration of how it is implemented. The reasons that have necessitated the
establishment of such an assessment tool, the guiding theoretical underpinnings utilised as
well as related review on Greek phonology and child phonological development/assessment,
are described in the introduction. This is followed by a detailed description of the proposed
test and its accompanying pilot implementation. This article continues with an analysis of
the data and concludes with a deliberation on the efficacy of the proposed tool and future
directions.
CONTACT Elena Babatsouli [email protected] Institute of Monolingual and Bilingual Speech, Kalathas,
Akrotiriou, Chania 73100, Greece
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.
© 2019 Taylor & Francis
2 E. BABATSOULI
Greek phonology
Segments and clusters
Modern Greek is founded on a combination of linguistic influences from ancient Greek
(AG; 800 BC–600 AD), koine (300 BC–300 AD), katharevousa (1800–1976), demotiki
(1818–), scholarly blueprints, loans, and dialects that make for a hard to pinpoint fluidity.
Thus, its phonology has a dynamic character that mixes separate phonological systems in
terms of segmental inventory, phonotactics, and usage distributions (Setatos, 1974, in
Greek).
Greek has a segmental inventory of 20 consonantal phonemes: /p b f v t d s z θ ð ʦ ʣ m n l ɾ
k g x γ/, 10 consonantal allophones: [c ɟ ç ʝ ɱ (ɱp ɱb ɱf ɱv) ŋ (ŋk ŋg ŋx ŋγ) ɲ ʎ r ɹ], and a typical
five vowel system: /i e a o u/→[i ԑ ɐ o u] that includes two falling diphthongs: aɪ [ɐi~ɐj] and oɪ
[oi~oj] and five rising diphthongs /ii ie io iu ia/ that are along with /i e/ the context of
palatalisation (→[CPALii, CPALiԑ, CPALio, CPALiu, CPALiɐ]) of preceding /k x g γ n l/ in
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 3
of 4151 phonemes (99.92%) and 4078 phones (99.87%). The frequency of vowels, pho-
nemes (2023 tokens, 48.76%) versus phones (1975 tokens, 48.40%) in decreasing order is:
a→ɐ (14.98%, 15.12%), i (13.08%, 11.10%), o (9.20%, 9.09%), e→ԑ (9%, 8.46%), and
u (2.50%, 2.50%). The frequency of consonants, phonemes (2128 tokens, 51.16%) versus
phones (2103 tokens, 51.47%) is: s (7.97%, 7.60%), t (7.90%, 7.72%), n (7.37%, 5.84%), ɾ
(4.43%, 4.51%), p (4.40%, 4.02%), k (4.23%, 2.40%), l (2.64%, 2.45%), m (2.45%, 3.01%), θ
(1.78%, 1.07%), γ (1.78%, 1.05%), ð (1.56%, 1.59%), f (1.22%, 1.25%), x (1.05%, 1.27%),
v (1.03%, 1.05%), z (0.74%, 1.27%), b (0.26%, 0.73%), d (0.21%, 0.53%), and g (0.14%,
0.22%). The frequency of the allophonic distribution of k→c (69 tokens), g→ɟ (6), x→ç
(22), γ→ʝ (32), n→ɲ (7) →ŋ (14), and l→ʎ (10) is: c (1.69%), ʝ (0.78%), ç (0.53%), ŋ
(0.34%), ʎ (0.24%), ɲ (0.17%), and ɟ (0.14%). Given that Greek orthography is largely
transparent, the following frequency in decreasing order of Greek letters/phones may also
be relevant: α/ɐ, ο, ι/i, ε, τ/t, σ,ς/s, ν/n, η/i, υ/i, ρ/ɾ, π/p, κ/k, μ/m, λ/l, ω/o, δ/ð, γ, χ/x, θ, φ/
f, β/v, ξ/ks, ζ/z, and ψ/ps (letterfrequency.org/letter-frequency-by-language/Greek). Setatos
(1974) treats /ʦ/ and /ʣ/ as clusters (for the debate on their phonemic status, see
Malikouti-Drachman, 2001). There are no statistics on functional load (e.g. as discussed
by Ingram, 1989) in Greek.
With regard to consonant clusters, Greek has a maximum of three consonants in onset
position, but there are more CC types than CCC types. Clusters in coda: [ts dz ft vɾ st mbɾ
nd ns ŋg ŋks lt lf ls lm lk ɾt ɾs ɾð ɾts kl kt ks] exist only in loans, for example, ταλκ /talk/
→[tɐlk] ‘baby powder’, τανκς /tanks/→[tɐŋks] ‘tanks’, and φιορδ /fioɾð/→[fçoɾð].
A comprehensive list of Greek clusters in word-initial, medial-onset, and medial-across-
syllables position (adapted from Setatos, 1974) can be found in the Scan Form (pp. 6–8),
provided as supplementary material. The 40 most frequent consonant clusters/sequences
in Greek and their percentages to the total number are given in Protopapas, Tzakosta,
Chalamandaris, and Tsiakoulis (2012) as follows: st (18.5%), pɾ (8.6%), ks (5.9%), ft
(4.5%), zm (3.1%), tɾ (2.8%), kɾ (2.3%), ps (2.1%), pl (2.1%), ɾγ (2.0%), kt (2.0%), xɾ
(2.0%), ðʝ (1.8%), γɾ (1.6%), ðɾ (1.6%), vɾ (1.6%), kl (1.5%), ɾʝ (1.5%), sç (1.3%), ɾç (1.3%),
pt (1.2%), γm (1.1%), sc (1.1%), vl (1.0%), fθ (1.0%), sk (0.9%), ɾn (0.9%), mv (0.9%), sp
(0.8%), sf (0.8%), mf (0.8%), nð (0.8%), ɾm (0.8%), xθ (0.8%), xn (0.7%), stɾ (0.7%), γn
(0.7%), ɾt (0.7%), fs (0.6%), and pç (0.6%).
Syllables
As a syllable-timed language, Greek is characterised by consecutive syllables of equal duration.
Greek has closed syllables, but the tendency is for open ones (Holton, Mackridge, & Philipaki-
Warburton, 2002), where the word structure formula C(0–3)VC(0–1) (Mennen & Okalidou,
2007, p. 400) predominantly holds. The rime in Greek may typically comprise a nucleus (#V
#Vi, V#, iV#, .V., .iV., or syllabic consonant in exclamations) or a nucleus and mainly
a singleton coda, that is, [f v s z θ m n l ɾ k ks x g γ ʝ] word-initially, word-medially (that
includes ð), and overwhelming /s n/word-finally, except in some archaic terms and #- [p b bl
t ts dz s z f st m n ŋg l lt lf lm lk ɾt ɾn ɾð k kt ks x], -# [p b t ts dz z f ft v vɾ st z θ m mbɾ n nd ns ŋg
l lt lf ls lm lk ɾ ɾt ɾs ɾð ɾts k kl kt ks g x γ] in loans. Table 2 shows the distribution of Greek
syllables per word position, as computed by Setatos (1974); tokens are shown in parentheses.
CVCC, CCVCC, and CVCCC appear in loans, while CiVC is an exclamation. The /i/ in
targeted syllables like the last one, and elsewhere (e.g. CiV, CVi, CCiV, etc.) throughout the
text and tables, refers to either the /i/ in falling diphthongs or to the context of the Greek
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 5
palatalisation rule, where a targeted /C/ followed by /i/ and another /V/ palatalises the
consonant (see more in previous section on segments and clusters).
Word structure
Greek has a trochaic foot (Holton et al., 2002). Words are mostly disyllabic or multisyllabic
(3–5 syllables or more, the longest being compounds); monosyllables are few in type, in
common usage when they are function words, and include loans. Not all syllable combina-
tions are possible in the permitted word structures with V, CV, CVC, CCV, CCVC, and VC
being more common (see Scan Form (p. 3), provided as supplementary material). Among
these, the most frequent word structures, as computed by Setatos (1974), are shown in Table
3 (those with over eight tokens for single- to three-syllable words and over two tokens for
four-syllable words).
Stress
Greek has dynamic stress, primary and secondary, typically falling on the syllable nucleus
(vowel-diphthong-syllabic consonant) of certain words in phrases/sentences. There are
two basic rules: two consecutive syllables cannot be both stressed, and only a maximum of
two unstressed syllables may follow the primary stress (Holton et al., 2002). Stress has
a semantically contrastive function in Greek differentiating between otherwise identical
words/phrases, for example, μιλιά/μίλια [miˈʎɐ/ˈmiʎɐ] ‘speech/miles’ and δεν είπε γιατί
φεύγει [ðԑn ipԑ ʝati/ʝatí fԑvʝi] ‘he didn’t say why/because he is leaving’. Secondary stress
may have a contrastive function, but it is primarily optional. Greek also has enclitic stress
in certain prosodic phrases, for example, το πρόσωπό της [to ˈpɾo.so.ˌpo tis] ‘her face’.
Greek dialects
Representative work on Greek dialectal phonology may be found in Trudgill (2003) and
references therein; for Cypriot Greek, see Newton (1972), Taxitari, Kambanaros, Floros,
and Grohmann (2017). Standard Greek has mostly been furnished by the Peloponnesian
and Ionian varieties. Among the six main dialectal features from elsewhere, only velar
fronting in a following /iV/ context is found in all varieties. Northern varieties features
that are intermittently productive in the standard are: /n l/ palatalisation in the context of
following /i/, for example, πανί /paˈni/→[pɐˈɲi] ‘cloth’ and άλλη /ˈali/→[ˈɐʎí] ‘otherFEM’,
and stop pre-nazalisation (/b d g/→[ɱb nd ŋg]), for example, λάμπα /ˈlaba/→[ˈlɐɱbɐ]
‘lamp’ and αβοκάντο /avocado/→[ɐvokɐndo]. Occasionally, geminates (Cyprus, south-
east), for example, άμμος /ˈamos/→[ˈɐm:os] ‘sand’); /i u/ deletion in unstressed syllables
(north), for example, κορίτσι /koˈɾi.ʦi/→[koˈɾιʦ∅] ‘girl’; and vowel deletions in hiatus, for
example, από εδώ /aˈpo eˈðo/→[ɐpԑ’ðo] ‘this way’ may also be present.
Method
The Greek test
The clinical tool for phonological elicitation and analysis proposed here is named
Phonological Assessment for Greek (el), that is, PAel, and targets the typically and
atypically developing Greek speech of mono/multilingual children between 2;6 and
9;0 years. A single-word and narrative elicitation technique is used, adopting the
methodology of the crosslinguistic project across 17 languages undertaken by
Bernhardt, Stemberger, and colleagues (see introduction). With regard to the experi-
mental design, PAel utilises the single case (multiple baseline) design. PAel comprises
150 content words (mostly nouns/adjectives) divided into two parts: a SCREENER: 50
words intended for preliminary/basic assessment (Tables 4 and 5), EXTENDED: 100 words
for assessing more advanced phonological skills (Tables 6–8), and a two-part narrative/
story built on SCREENER/EXTENDED lists that broadens further the list’s phonotactic
representation.
The PAel word list was constructed to include variable representative phonotactic
contexts of the Greek inventory, also accounting for underlying nonlinear interactions.
Greek phonotactics are represented (a) in imageable words, familiar to children; (b)
accounting for distribution frequencies: common words, marked/unmarked segments,
various prosodic contexts, syllable types (structure/stress), and word structures/lengths
(e.g. bilabials vs. fricatives, more /s/ than /g/, more CV than CCCV); (c) in cumulative
depiction from screener to extended list, to narrative. The EXTENDED list expands the
SCREENER in that it includes more contexts for singleton segments, more consonant
sequences, and word structures/lengths, overall targeting more complex/advanced phonol-
ogies. The culture-relevant colour images (one per word) prepared for data elicitation, are
freely available in slideshow software from: http://phonodevelopment.sites.olt.ubc.ca /or
by contacting the author. Sentence cues (cloze technique), and/or phonemic, syllabic cues,
are included in the slide show for clinical use to motivate children during the test, as
needed. Aiming for efficiency and speed, the test lasts between 10 and 30–40 min (screener
and full list, respectively), also depending on child/context (attention, need for narrative,
prompts, etc.). Select words in the list (or narrative parts) may separately furnish assess-
ment/therapy or language research, as necessary.
Setatos (1974), the distribution of PAel vowels appears in this order: word-medial (236/
374: 63%) > word-final (124/374: 33%) > word-initial (14/374: 4%).
A comparison of singleton consonant distribution shows that PAel (Table 10) also
reflects targeted language distributions (cf. Setatos, 1974) for phones: s (el: 8%, PAel: 12%),
t (8%, 32/277: 7%), n (6%, 23/277: 8%), ɾ (5%, 33/277: 12%), p (4%, 14/277: 5%), k (2%, 12/
277: 4%), l (2%, 23/277: 8%), m (3%, 14/277: 5%), θ (1%, 6/277: 2%), γ (1%, 5/277: 2%), ð
(2%, 12/277: 4%), f (1%, 12/277: 4%), x (1%, 6/277: 2%), v (1%, 6/277: 2%), z (1%, 13/277:
5%), b (0.7%, 1/277: 0.3%), d (0.5%, 7/277: 2.5%), and g (0.2%, 7/277: 2.5%) and
10 E. BABATSOULI
allophones: c (el: 1.7%, PAel: 5/277: 1.8%), ʝ (0.8%, 5/277: 1.8%), ç (0.5%, 4/277: 1.4%), ʎ
(0.2%, 4/277: 1.4%), ɲ (0.2%, 1/277: 0.3%), and ɟ (0.1%, 1/277: 0.3%).
Differences lie in that PAel has more z, l, ɾ tokens and fewer p, t, k tokens. Based on
PAel computations (see Table 10), there are more singleton consonants: (a) at word-
medial/syllable-onset (WM σ-I) 59.5% (165/277) > word-initially (WI) 25.6% (71/277) >
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 11
word-finally (WF) 9.3% (26/277) > at word-medial/syllable-coda (WM σ-F) 5.4% (15/277),
and (b) in terms of MANNER: FRICATIVES (101/277: 36%) > STOPS (66/277: 23.8%) > LIQUIDS
(60/277: 21.6%) > NASALS (38/277: 13.7%) > AFFRICATES (9/277: 3.2%) > GLIDES (3/277: 1%).
The phonological mean length of utterance (PMLU; Ingram, 2002; Ingram & Ingram,
2001) of the PAel word list is calculated to be: PMLU = (2C + V)/150 = (2 ×
500 + 374) = 1374/150 = 9.16.
It is notable that computations for targeted Greek consonants (Setatos, 1974) include
cluster members, but there no computations on cluster distributions per se. The distribu-
tion of consonant clusters in PAel is discussed next. Consonant clusters in PAel (Tables 11
and 12) are classified according to C1(PLACE)/C2(MANNER) but differentiate C1(ANY)C2
(SONORANT) (CSON) and sCLUSTERS (sCs), as follows: CSON (53/99: 54%) > sSTOP (12/99:
12%) > LABFRIC (11/99: 11%) > sFRIC (7/99: 7%) > DORSTOP (6/99: 6%) > DORFRIC (3/99:
3%) > LABSTOP (3/99: 3%). CSON distribution (CSON divided by all CCs), shown separately
in Table 12 due to space limitations, is as follows: CRHOTIC (32/99: 32%) > CLATERAL (13/
99: 13%) > CNASAL (8/99, 8%).
Among the CCs permitted in Greek (see Scan Form (pp. 6–8), provided as supple-
mentary material), the following are not tested in the PAel word list (a) WI CCs: pn,
vð, mn, mɲ, tm, sθ, zb, zm, θn, θl, θç, kn, xl, gl, ɣn, which occur in formal or less
common terms, like πνοή [pnoi] ‘breath’, βδέλλa [vðԑlɐ] ‘leech’, κνήμη [knimi] ‘leg’,
γκλίτσα [gliʦɐ] ‘crook’; (b) WM syllable-onset: pt, kt(~xt), ps, bʝ(~ɱbʝ), bn(~ɱbn), tn,
tm, dm(~ndm), kn, km, xn, pl, pɾ, bl(~ɱbl), bɾ(~ɱbɾ), gɾ(~ŋgɾ), ft(~pθ), ft(~fθ), fk, sp,
sc, xt(~xθ), fθ, sf, sθ, sç, sx, zv, zɣ, θç, xθ(~xt), ɣð θn, ɣn, fl, ðɾ, xl, ɣl, xɾ, mɲ. Also,
among the WM across-syllable clusters permitted in Greek (see Scan Form (pp. 6–8),
provided as supplementary material), the following are tested in the PAel word list: f.x,
l.f, ɾ.fç, ɾ.t, ɾ.m, ɾ.k, x.tɾ, and ɾ.ɣ. Furthermore, PAel tests the following three-member
clusters (CCCs): WI: #ftç (1 token), #spɾ (1), #stɾ (2), #skl (1), and WM: .ftç. (1), spɾ.
(1), stɾ (2). Among the few non-tested (full list, Scan Form (pp. 6–8), provided as
supplementary material), are CCCs in uncommon words, σπλήνα [splinɐ] ‘spleen’,
σκνίπα [sknipɐ] ‘gnat’, and σκράπας [‘skɾɐpɐs] ‘ignorant’ (loan).
A comparison of word shapes in targeted Greek (el) with those in PAel shows that single-
syllable (1-σ) and five-syllable (5-σ) words are less common in Greek phonotactics, while
multisyllabic (2,3,4,5-σ) words are in decreasing frequency from shorter to longer length: el
2-σ 32.07%, 3-σ 19.11%, 4-σ 7.56%, 5-σ 1.98% (Table 2) versus PAel 2-σ 54.6% (82/150), 3-σ
33.3% (59/150), 4-σ 6.6% (10/150), 5-σ: 2.6% (4/150) (Table 13), though numbers for related
categories are not directly comparable. Notably, monosyllabic distribution in Greek is higher
than in the list (39.16% vs. 2.6% (4/150)), because it is predominantly function words that Setatos
(1974) includes in his counts; incorporating the PAel narrative would balance this divergence but
it is beyond the scope here. PAel comprises the most frequent Greek word shapes (cf. Tables 2
(results in bold below) and 13), involving further complexity to enhance the test’s gauging
potential. This holds across categories as for, for example, 2-σ: CV.CV→CCV.CV→CCVC.
CVC & CCVC.CCV, V.CV→V.CVC/V.CCV→V.CCiV→ V.CCCVC; 3-σ: CV.CV.CV→CV.
CCV.CV→CCV.CV.CV→CCV.CVC. CCV, V.CV.CV→V.CV.CiV→ V.CCV.CV→V.CVC.
CiV, and 4-σ: CV.CV.CV.CV→CVCˈCV.CV.CCV, V.CV.CV.CVC→VC.CV.CV.’CCV.
Different word lengths are utilised in PAel to permit comparisons across diverse length, stress,
and phonotactic contexts. For instance, at least one CV token is elicited in word-initial/medial/
final, stressed and unstressed positions.
12 E. BABATSOULI
To the author’s knowledge, no distributional analysis exists of Greek stress patterns. Table 13
documents a preference for trochee, typical of Greek, and an overall balance across stress-
pattern groups, very likely characteristic of targeted speech: more Su (types 20/tokens 57) than
uS (12/25) in disyllables, more uSu (13/35) than Suu (8/11) than uuS (4/4) in trisyllables, more
uSuu (5/5) than uuSu (3/3) than uuuS (2/2) in four-syllable words, and a predominant uuSuu
(4/4) for five-syllable words. Enclitic stress is represented only in the narrative. Comparing next
the distribution of syllables per word position between the targeted language (Table 2) and PAel
(Table 14), we see similar patterns across syllable types, for example, predominant VC word-
initially/finally than word-medially, more CV word-finally than word-medially/initially, more
CCV word-initially than word-medially than word-finally, CCV mostly word-finally, more
CVC word-finally than initially than medially, and so on. Thus, PAel syllable distributions
largely epitomise targeted Greek. Infrequent syllable types under-represented in Table 2 are also
infrequent in PAel; the earlier comment on monosyllables holds here also.
match (e.g. πόρτα [ˈpoɾ.tɐ] ‘door’) and expand PAL (e.g. αμύγδαλα [ɐ.ˈmiγ.ðɐ.lɐ] ‘almonds’),
but again detailed analysis of the narrative is beyond the scope here.
PAel has the potential to stand for PAL, also improving it to address limitations in
terms of: (a) monosyllabic content words with singleton/clusters (Tables 4 and 6), (b)
more cluster types/contexts and more word shapes/lengths, (c) more content words that
extend prosodic contexts for singletons/clusters, (d) representing the phonotactic distri-
butions of targeted Greek, (e) a complementary narrative to contextualise words providing
alternative IPA renditions (formal/informal/dialectal) that include variable stress types,
and adding over 200 new words, of which about half are verbs, as well as, several non-
imageable ones (i.e. function words) whose phonotactics are not representable in word
lists, and (e) colour images for each test word. Furthermore, narrative illustration is part of
the procedures.
Elicitation method
The girl recruited for the pilot test, a monolingual Greek speaker aged 4;8, is the only child
of middle-class parents living near Athens (Greece) and has no history of speech-language
impairment, communication difficulties, or any known sensory, cognitive, anatomical
conditions. On a social visit, the investigator/author (a phonetically trained native-Greek
speaker) noticed inconsistency in the child’s speech given her age and asked permission to
test the child’s phonological skill. Following parental consent, the investigator sat with the
child in a quiet, informal setting and encouraged the child to teach Greek to a doll.
Immediately taking to operating the pc-run slide show by pushing a button, the child
subsequently named the pictures (printed picture cards and a puppet may also be used). In
a single session, both the SCREENER and EXTENDED lists were administered in this order
lasting 8 and 32 min, respectively, with a few minutes break between. An OLYMPUS VN-
712PC was used for audio-recording the session. Running speech samples were also
collected as part of a familiarisation session prior to administering the test, and afterwards
during a free play session, but are not included in the analysis here.
consulted and a couple of disagreements (on vocalic epenthesis; [ʝ] vs. [j]) between the
three were resolved by verifying correct renditions in Praat (Boersma & Weenink, 2018).
Based on the results, a nonlinear phonological analysis scan (Bernhardt & Stemberger,
2000; see discussion at phonodevelopment.sites.olt.ubc.ca) modified for Greek (Scan
Form, provided as supplementary material) was completed. The Greek scan (form)
summarises Greek phonotactics in terms of word structure (p.3), segments and features
(pp. 4, 9), and consonantal clusters/sequences (p.6–8). It is a comprehensive index and
easy to fill in (or just highlight) client evidence-based information. The scan includes
a preview section for establishing strengths/weaknesses (p.2) and a conclusive summary
page (p.11). A Greek translation of the scan is also freely available: at http://phonode-
velopment.sites.olt.ubc.ca.
9), provided as supplementary material) are also the main sources of cluster
mismatches.
Table 17 shows the rules in the child’s consonant cluster mismatches which involve
mainly reduction but also deletion and vowel epenthesis. For a recent review of patterns in
typical and atypical development of clusters crosslinguistically, see Babatsouli and
Sotiropoulos (2018). The targeted CCs involving [LIQUID] reduced to [-LIQUID], and those
involving [DORSAL] were generally reduced to either member; an exception was γλώσσα
/ɣlosa/→[losa] ‘tongue’. When one member was [FRICATIVE], then the child’s reduction
followed Pater and Barlow’s (2003) axiom, that is, if a segment of a given sonority is
retained instead of the fricative, then all segments of lesser sonority are retained rather
than the fricative. Thus, because /xn/→[n], then /xt/→[t, k]; an exception was: /pԑxniðʝɐ/
[pԑciðʝɐ] ‘toys’. Her targeted CCC sSTOPLIQ, also reduced to [-LIQUID], that is, to an sSTOP
or to a STOP. Her targeted CCC FRICSTOPFRIC, /ftç/ reduced to [fç], deleting the STOP. When
CC /fç/was targeted, it was either kept or reduced to [f]. Besides reduction, there was one
occurrence of deletion, /xɾ/→ [∅], and two occurrences of vowel epenthesis, /pɾ/→ [pVl]
and /kl/→ [kVl], all involving [LIQUID].
The child’s proportions of adult-like cluster productions are WI CCs 30% (23/60), WM CCs
46% (18/39), and CCCs 0% (0/9). Most mismatches were in CSON, with their adult-like
proportions being WI 6% (2/32) and WM 19% (4/21). Her adult-like productions containing
CSON were μπλέ [blԑ], κούκλα [kuklɐ], μοιάζουν [mɲɐzun], φάντασμα [fɐdɐzmɐ], καπνός
[kɐpnos], and λίμνη [limni]. Notably, CNASAL mismatches occurred when C was [DORSAL].
Excluding CSON, adult-like CCs were WI 75% (21/28) and WM 78% (14/18). A measure for
cluster proximity (MCP, Babatsouli & Sotiropoulos, 2018), proposed recently, distinguishes
between different CC productions giving credit to various non-adult-like productions; so, one
adult-like cluster member scores 25%, two adult-like members with vowel epenthesis score
62.5%, and CC production with one member substituted: 87.5%. The child’s MCP is 56% (WI)
and 64% (WM). Compared to norms, she shows delay in acquiring STOPSON and [xn] (see
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 19
Mennen & Okalidou, 2007) and in FRICLAT compared to a Greek–English bilingual girl’s
acquisition by age 4;0 (Babatsouli, 2018).
As a result of weaknesses on the featural and prosodic level, the child’s word shapes were
also affected (see Scan Form (pp. 3–4), provided as supplementary material); an instance of
an added-syllable is λιοντάρι /ʎo.ˈda.ɾi/ [li.o.ˈdɐ.li]. Instances of weak syllable deletion were
φάντασμα /ˈfada.zma/ [ˈfɐ.dɐs∅] ‘ghost’, ευχαριστώ /ef.xa.ɾi.ˈsto/ [∅.xɐ.∅i.ˈsto] ‘thanks’,
αερόστατο /a.e.ˈɾo.sta.to/ [ɐ.∅.ˈlo.sta.to], a process typically disappearing in Greek by 3;6
(PAL, 1995). Conversely, word complexity was also evidenced to affect featural and prosodic
acquisition, as follows in (a) non-production of word-medial/syllable-coda (WM σ-F):
δελφίνι /ðelfini/ [dԑ∅fini] ‘dolphin’, (b) WF coda deletion: ελέφαντας /elefadas/ [ԑlԑfɐdɐ∅]
‘elephant’, (c) regression when markedness constraints (featural/prosodic) combine: χρυσός
/xɾisos/ [∅isos] (CC deletion), /stɾoɟilos/ [tɐʝilos] ‘round’ ([st] acquired elsewhere), σφυρί
/sfiɾi/ [sfi∅i] ‘hammer’ ([sf] production deletes singleton), δελφίνι /ðelfini/ [dԑfini] ‘dolphin’,
τσουλήθρα /ʦuliθɾa/ [zuviθɐ] ‘slide’ ([ð], [l] substituted here though typically acquired as
singletons).
Consequently, though the child’s phonology showed evidence of acquisition and ongoing
development in some respects, the nonlinear phonological analysis above demonstrated that
significant aspects of her speech (e.g. a low whole-word match, not meeting expected
developmental norms, regression in complex words, etc.) suggest phonological delay. This
is further supported by evidence in the child’s spontaneous speech samples (not analysed),
indicating regression with increased utterance length and complexity.
Conclusions
The study has proposed a tool for the phonological assessment of developmental child
Greek (PAel) in typical and clinical contexts, comprising of a word list and narrative.
Being child appropriate, the test aimed to represent Greek phonotactics in terms of
features, segments, sequences, syllables, word shapes, and stress patterns in as many/
variable contexts as possible, advancing the methodology of an existing but largely
inaccessible battery. The proposed tool has also innovatively addressed adherence to
the statistical properties of the language and dialectal variation in a Greek battery. Due
to space limitations, only the word list was administered and analysed here to
determine its efficacy and gauging potential. Analysis of a monolingual Greek girl’s
elicited data at age 4;8 demonstrates that this clinical test has the potential to
comprehensively assess strengths and weaknesses during phonological development,
also diagnosing phonological protraction. More children’s data elicited using PAel will
address limitations of this study by further elucidating the tool’s strengths and weak-
nesses. Data analysis was performed within the constraint-based nonlinear theoretical
framework illuminating the interplay of underlying hierarchical representations. Future
goals comprise studies on more children to include multilingual and delayed/disor-
dered populations, test standardisation, and establishment of norms on a quantitative
basis to be used as dependable evaluation assessment and intervention of phonological
delay/disorder.
Author’s note
The assessment tools are available free of charge through the website phonodevelopment.sites.olt.
ubc.ca (or by contacting the author) along with tutorials on nonlinear phonological analysis and
examples of therapy activities.
Acknowledgments
The author is indebted to Barbara May Bernhardt of the University of British Columbia for
encouraging this work, for suggestions, comments, and review of the manuscript, and to
Elizabeth MacLeod of Vancouver, British Columbia, for reviewing the word list.
Disclosure Statement
The author reports no conflict of interest.
ORCID
Elena Babatsouli http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3010-986X
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Αλλά, προηγούνταν οι προετοιμασίες. Μάζεψε με τη σκούπα το ρύζι και τα φλούδια, που τώρα
έμοιαζαν με φάντασμα στο χώμα και έκανε στην κούκλα της μπάνιο με χλιαρό νερό από τη βρύση.
Της άρεσε να την ντύνει με ένα ροζ μαγιό, αλλά σήμερα της διάλεξε ένα χνουδωτό φορεματάκι με
μαύρη ζώνη που ταίριαζε με τα σγουρά της μαλλιά. Μετά, έβγαλε από τη τσάντα με τις χειροτεχνίες
διάφορα στολίδια και παιχνίδια. Με ένα σχοινί κρέμασε ψηλά πάνω από το φως ένα φεγγάρι, ένα
σύννεφο, ένα χαρταετό, ένα αερόστατο, και μια πάπια με απλωμένα τα φτερά. Όλα μοιάζαν σαν
να κάνουνε τσουλήθρα και ήταν τέλεια σαν ζωγραφιά.
«Είμαστε έτοιμες!» είπε στην νταντά της, η οποία στο μεταξύ είχε βάλει γυαλιά για να βλέπει και
έψαχνε στον υπολογιστή πάνω στο θρανίο να βρει συνταγή για μαγειρευτό χταπόδι με κολοκύθια,
αγγούρια και ντομάτα. Ήθελε να ετοιμάσει κάτι ιδιαίτερο για τα γενέθλια της Άννας, εκτός από κρέας
και τζατζίκι. «Άννα, μην ξεχάσεις πως σε λίγο θα έρθει ο κύριος Γρηγόρης», της είπε η νταντά. Αυτός
ήταν ένας γέρος γείτονας εξήντα έξι χρονών που ζούσε στο διπλανό κτίριο. Ήταν, παλιά, καλός φίλος
του παππού αφού είχαν πάρει πτυχίο από το ίδιο πανεπιστήμιο. Είχε υποσχεθεί πως θα έφερνε στην
Άννα μια μπάλα και ένα μαγικό ραβδί που το κουνάς με το χέρι και γίνεται σφυρί. Στα νιάτα του, ο
κύριος Γρηγόρης ταξίδευε και αυτός, όπως οι γονείς της, πότε με βάρκα και πότε με πλοίο. Κάποιες
φορές πήγαινε σε μακρινά μέρη με κάστρα πάνω στους λόφους, στα οποία μπορούσε κανείς να
πλησιάσει μόνο με γάιδαρο. Ή Άννα διασκέδαζε με τις ιστορίες που της έλεγε, χωρίς να ντρέπεται.
Κοίταξε βιαστικά έξω από το παράθυρο να δει αν έρχεται, αλλά ο δρόμος ήταν άδειος. Μόνο ο καπνός
φαινόταν να πετάγεται σαν σβούρα από το τζάκι τους και ο άσπρος φράχτης της αυλής, καλυμμένος
με κάτι σαν χνούδι που έπεφτε από το δέντρο. Ήταν φθινόπωρο.
«Μα τι θόρυβος είναι αυτός;» ρώτησε την νταντά της, αλλά εκείνη είχε, από ώρα, βγει από το
δωμάτιο. Γύρισε και τί να δει; Μέσα από τις σελίδες του αγαπημένου της βιβλίου ξεπετάχτηκαν όλα
τα γνωστά της ζώα και μαζί με αυτά κι ένας άσχημος σκύλος, ένας ελέφαντας, ένα λιοντάρι, ένα
γατάκι και μια ακρίδα. «Τα μάθατε τα νέα;» μίλησαν σαν να ήταν παιδιά, «είδαμε ένα δελφίνι να
βγαίνει από τη λίμνη. Ξέρει κανείς να σπρώχνει φορτίο για να το διώξουμε στη θάλασσα; Εδώ
κινδυνεύει από εχθρούς ή και να πνιγεί». Η Άννα πάντα ήθελε να βοηθά τους άλλους και, αμέσως,
προσφέρθηκε να δανείσει το ποδήλατό της ή το αυτοκίνητο της νταντάς. Τα ζώα έστειλαν αμέσως
μήνυμα στην ομάδα διάσωσης και μετά γιόρτασαν τα γενέθλια της Άννας όλοι μαζί, σαν αδέρφια.
Αν θέλετε το πιστεύετε, αλλά το χνουδωτό γατάκι έφαγε το μεγαλύτερο κομμάτι της τούρτας με τις
φράουλες και τα αμύγδαλα!
Η Άννα πέρασε υπέροχα εκείνη την ημέρα, τόσο που θα έμενε στην μνήμη της. Σαν την Άννα
των Αγρών, ήξερε να φτιάχνει τη μέρα της και, επίσης, πως λίγη φαντασία μπορεί να σε πάει από το
άλφα στο ωμέγα. (total FULL: 1,001 words).
SHORT
'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ) fo.'ɾɐ cԑ 'ԑ.nɐn cԑ.'ɾo ('cԑ.nɐ ŋɟԑ.'ɾo) 'kɐ.to ɐ.'po 'ԑ.nɐ 'pԑf.ko, to mԑ.ɣɐ.'li.tԑ.ɾo (*mԑ.
ɣɐ.'ʎi.tԑ.ɾo) 'ðԑ.(n)dɾo tis 'po.lis (*'poʎis) i'piɾ.çԑ 'ԑ.nɐ 'spi.ti (*'spit) pu 'ԑ.mɲɐ.zԑ ('pu.mɲɐ.zԑ) mԑ 'fɐt.
ni (*'fɐt.ɲi)#. sԑ ɐ.'fto (sɐ.'fto) 'zu.sԑ 'ԑ.nɐ ko.ɾi.'ʦɐ.ci mԑ ti ɣɾi.'ɐ dɐ'.(n)dɐ tis#. o bɐ.'(ɱ)bɐs cԑ i (ci)
mɐ.'mɐ tis 'ԑ.li.pɐn sԑ 'ԑ.nɐ ('sԑ.nɐ) mɐ.kɾi.'no tɐ.'ksi.ði sti 'θɐ.lɐ.sɐ#. to pԑ.'ði i.çԑ 'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ) 'ku.klɐ
'o.moɾ.fi (*'o.moɾf) sɐn nԑ.'ɾɐi.ðɐ (sɐ nԑ.'ɾɐj.ða) ɐ.'lɐ tis 'ԑ.li.pɐn tɐ ɐ.'ftiɐ (tɐ.'ftçɐ) #. tin ku.vɐ.'lu.sԑ (ti.
(ŋ)gu.vɐ.'lu.sԑ) 'pɐ.(n)dɐ mɐ.'zi tis 'mԑ.sɐ 'sԑ 'ԑ.nɐ ('sԑ.nɐ) kɐ.'lɐ.θi (*kɐ.'lɐθ) ʝɐ.'ti tis 'θi.mi.zԑ ti ðɐ.'skɐ.
lɐ pu 'ԑ.vlԑ.pԑ ('pu.vlԑ.pԑ) ɐ.'po to (ɐ.'pto) kɾԑ.'vɐ.ti tis (*kɾԑ.'vɐ.tits) 'ԑ.kso ɐ.'po to (ɐ.'pto) 'ʣɐ.mi
(*'ʣɐm) nɐ 'ԑɾ.çԑtԑ ('nɐɾ.çԑ.tԑ) 'kɐ.θԑ pɾo.'i mԑ to 'tɾԑ.no cԑ nɐ 'fԑ.vʝi (*'fԑvʝ) ɐɾ.'γɐ ti 'ni.xtɐ#. ɐ.ni.po.
mo.'nu.sԑ nɐ mԑ.ɣɐ.'lo.si (*mԑ.ɣɐ.'los) cԑ nɐ 'pɐi cԑ ԑ.'ci.ni (cԑ.'ci.ni) (*cԑ.'ciɲi) sto sxo.'li.o. si.'xnɐ
o.'sto.so 'ԑ.pԑ.zԑ mԑ to ɐ.ɣɐ.pi.'mԑ.no (tɐ.ɣɐ.pi.'mԑ.no) tis vi.'vli.o, pu 'i.tɐn ('pu.tɐn) sɐn 'at.lɐ.(n)dɐs#.
to vi.'vli.o 'i.çԑ sto ԑ.'kso.fi.lo 'ԑ.nɐ lu.'lu.ði (*lu.'luð) cԑ 'mԑ.sɐ i.ko.'ni.zo.(n)dɐn po.'lɐ 'zo.ɐ, 'o.pos 'mi.ɐ
('mɲɐ) stɾu.θo.ˈkɐ.mi.los, 'ԑ.nɐs 'vɐ.tɾɐ.xos, 'mi.ɐ (mɲɐ) 'ti.ɣɾis, 'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ) mɐi.'mu(~mɐj.'mu), 'mi.ɐ
('mɲɐ) çԑ.'lo.nɐ, ci 'ԑ.nɐs ('cԑ.nɐs) tԑ.'ɾɐ.sti.os 'ðɾɐ.kos pu 'ԑ.pԑ.zԑ ('pu.pԑ.zԑ) po.'ðo.sfԑ.ɾo cԑ 'ԑ.vɐ.zԑ ('cԑ.
vɐ.zԑ) cԑ'(ŋ)gol#.
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 25
ԑ.'ci.ni (*ԑ.'ci.ɲi, ԑ.'ciɲ) tin i'mԑ.ɾɐ (ti'mԑ.ɾɐ) i mi.'kɾi i.çԑ tɐ ʝԑ.'nԑ.θli.ˌɐ tis#. 'vɣɐ.zo.(n)dɐs to cԑ.'fɐ.
li (*cԑ.'fɐ.ʎi, cԑ.'fɐ.ʎ) tis 'ԑ.kso ɐ.'po to ('ԑ.ksɐ.'pto) pɐ.'ɾɐ.θi.ɾo 'i.ðԑ pos o 'pɐ.ɣos tis 'ni.xtɐs 'ԑ.ʎo.ne sɐn
vɾo.'çi 'pɐ.no sto skɐ.'li (*skɐ.'ʎi) tis ԑ.'kso.poɾ.tɐs, kɐ.'θos o xɾi.'sos 'i.ʎos 'ԑ.skɐ.ʝԑ 'mi.ti si.'ɣɐ si.'ɣɐ#.
'pɾo.tɐ 'ԑ.pli.ne to 'pɾo.so.ˌpo tis mԑ sɐ.'pu.ni (*sɐ.'pu.ɲi, sɐ.'puɲ), pԑ.ɾi.pi.'i.θi.cԑ tɐ mɐ.'ʎɐ tis mԑ ti
'xtԑ.nɐ(~'ktԑ.nɐ) cԑ mԑ.'tɐ, ɐ.'fu 'ci.tɐ.ksԑ ti ɾoz 'ɣlo.sɐ tis, 'ԑ.ɾi.ksԑ i.kɐ.no.pi.i.'mԑ.ni 'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ) 'ɣɾi.
ɣo.ɾi mɐt.'çɐ ston kɐ.'θɾԑ.fti~kɐ.'θɾԑ.pti (sto.(ŋ)gɐ.'θɾԑfti~ sto.(ŋ)gɐ.'θɾԑ.pti) (*(sto.(ŋ)gɐ.'θɾԑft~sto.(ŋ)
gɐ.'θɾԑ.pt) sto cԑ.'fɐ.li (*sto cԑ.'fɐ.ʎi, sto cԑ.'fɐʎ) cԑ stin 'plɐ.ti (sti.'(ɱ)blɐ.ti) (*sti.'(ɱ)blɐt) tis (*sti.'(ɱ)
blɐ.tits) #. sto tɾɐ.'pԑ.zi ɐ.'nɐ.mԑ.sɐ stɐ 'pçɐ.tɐ, tin pԑ.'ɾi.mԑ.nԑ (ti.(ɱ)bԑ.'ɾi.mԑ.nԑ) i.ði 'ԑ.nɐ fli.'ʣɐ.ni
(*fli.'ʣɐ.ɲi, fli.'ʣɐɲ) zԑ.'sto 'ɣɐ.lɐ cԑ 'li.ɣo 'ʦɐ.i pu 'i.tɐn ɐ.kɾi.'vos ɐ.'fto pu zi.'tu.sԑ o kɾi.o.'mԑ.nos
lԑ.'mos tis ʝɐ nɐ mi 'γðԑɾ.ni (*'γðԑɾ.ɲi, 'γðԑɾɲ)#. kɐ.'θos 'ԑ.pԑɾ.nԑ to pɾo.i.'no tis, pɐ.ɾɐ.'ti.ɾi.sԑ pos 'pɐ.no
sto xɐ.'li (*xɐ.'ʎi), 'ði.plɐ sto pɐ.'pu.ʦi tis (*pɐ.'pu.ʦits), 'i.xɐn 'pԑ.si ('i.xɐ.'(ɱ)bԑ.si) 'flu.ðʝɐ cԑ ɐ.ɾcԑ.'to
(cɐɾ.cԑ.'to) 'ɾi.zi, cԑ 'o.ti ('co.ti) 'i.xɐn 'pa.ɾi pɐ.'ɾɐ.ksԑ.no 'sçi.mɐ#. 'ԑ.mɲɐ.zɐn 'li.ɣo mԑ sfi.'ɾix.tɾɐ cԑ 'li.
ɣo mԑ 'ksi.stɾɐ 'pɐ.no se ɣɾɐ.'si.ði (*ɣɾɐ.'sið)#. 'ɐ.plo.sԑ to '(ɱ)bɾɐ.ʦo tis (*'(ɱ)bɾɐ.ʦots) nɐ tɐ mɐ.'zԑ.psi
(*mɐ.'zԑps), 'o.tɐn ksɐf.ni.'kɐ ('otɐ.(ŋ)gsɐf.ni.'kɐ) 'ɐ.ku.se to ɾo.'lo.i ston 'ti.xo (sto.'(n)di.xo) nɐ xti.'pɐ
o.'xto(~o.'kto) fo.'ɾԑs cԑ tɐ kli.'ðʝɐ stin 'poɾ.tɐ (sti'ɱboɾ.tɐ) nɐ ʝiɾ.'nun#. 'i.ðԑ 'to.tԑ ti dɐ.'(n)dɐ tis na '(ɱ)
bԑ.ni (*'(ɱ)bԑ.ɲi, '(ɱ)bԑ.ɲ) 'mԑ.sɐ sto ðo.'mɐ.tio kɾɐ.'to.(n)dɐs 'kɐ.ti (+'kɐt) tԑ.'ɾɐ.sti.o, sɐn 'blԑ (sɐ'mblԑ)
bɐ.'lo.ni (*bɐ.'lo.ɲi, bɐ.'loɲ)#. ti mԑ.'ɣɐ.los stɾo.ɟi.'los (stɾo.(ŋ)ɟi.'los) 'sɐ.kos!#. ti o.'ɾԑ.os 'fço.gos#. cԑ
'po.sɐ 'ðo.ɾɐ 'kɾi.vi!#. o'lo.kli.ɾos θi.sɐ.'vɾos, i.pԑ to ko.'ɾi.ʦi (*ko.'ɾiʦ)#. pɐ.'ɾo.lo pu 'ԑ.li.pɐn ('pu.li.pɐn)
i ɣo.'nis tis ðԑn tin 'i.xɐn ksԑ.'xɐ.si ('i.xɐŋgsԑ.'xɐ.si) 'u.tԑ tɐ ʝԑ.'nԑ.θliˌɐ tis#. ‘ԑf.xɐ.ɾi.'sto!#. 'fo.nɐ.ksԑ
ɐɾ.'çi.zo.(n)dɐs nɐ ksԑ.ti.'li.ʝi (*ksԑ.ti.'ʎi.ʝi, ksԑ.ti.'ʎiʝ) to 'pɾo.to pɐ.'cԑ.to mԑ tin ԑf.'çi nɐ 'kɾi.vi ԑ.nɐ
zԑv.'ɣɐ.ɾi (*zԑv.'ɣɐɾ) fti.'nԑs(~fθi.'nԑs) 'kɐl.ʦԑs i 'ԑ.nɐ 'psɐ.ɾi (*'psɐɾ) sԑ 'ʝɐ.lɐ#. 'vɾi.cԑ o.'sto.so 'ԑ.nɐ 'gɾi.
zo foɾ.ti.'ɣo mԑ ԑɾ.γɐ.ˈli.ɐ (mԑɾ.γɐ.ˈli.ɐ), 'to.so ɐ.li.θi.'no pu 'i.çԑ cԑ '(ŋ)gɐ.zi (*'(ŋ)gɐz)!#.
SEQUEL
'ɐ.nɐ, 'ɐ.fi.sԑ 'to.ɾɐ tɐ 'ðo.ɾɐ 'ði.plɐ sto 'ʣɐ.ci (*'ʣɐc) cԑ si.'nԑ.çi.sԑ to pɾo.i.'no su,#. tis 'i.pԑ i (tis 'i.
pԑ) dɐ.'(n)dɐ#. 'o.mos, i 'ɐ.nɐ 'i.çԑ 'vɐ.li (*'vɐ.ʎi, 'vɐʎ) θԑɾ.'mo.mԑ.tɾo to 'vɾɐ.ði (*'vɾɐð) sto 'sto.mɐ tis ʝɐ
nɐ ði an 'ԑ.çi pi.ɾԑ.'to cԑ 'to.ɾɐ ðԑn pi.'nu.sԑ (ðԑ.(m)bi.'nu.sԑ) 'to.so ʝɐ nɐ 'fɐ.i ti fɾi.ɣɐ.'ɲɐ, to ɐ.'vɣo, to
'ci.tɾi.no ti.'ɾi cԑ ti spɐ.nɐ.'ko.pi.tɐ pu 'i.tɐn ɐ.ɾɐ.ðʝɐ.'zmԑ.nɐ bɾo.'stɐ tis#. ðԑn 'itɐn ko.'ɾoi.ðo~ko.'ɾoj.ðo
('i.tɐ.(ŋ)go.'ɾoi.ðo~'i.tɐ(ŋ)go.'ɾoj.ðo) nɐ ɐ.'lɐ.ksi (nɐ.'lɐ.ksi) (*nɐ.'lɐks) 'ɣno.mi (*'ɣnom)#. 'u.tԑ tis 'ɐ.ɾԑ.
sԑ nɐ ԑk.'fɾɐ.zi (*ԑk.'fɾɐz) tɐ si.nԑ.'sθi.mɐ.ˌtɐ tis mԑ to nɐ 'klԑ.i#. ɐ.'(n)di.θԑ.tɐ, o.ni.ɾԑ.'vo.tɐn 'ԑ.nɐ
mԑ.'ɣɐ.lo 'pɐɾ.ti 'mԑ.sɐ sto ('mԑ.sto) ɣɾɐ.'fio tu bɐ.'(m)bɐ mԑ 'xɾo.mɐ.tɐ, ɣli.'kɐ (*ɣʎi.'kɐ), 'ԑ.nɐ 'pɾɐ.si.no
skli.'ɾo (*skʎi.'ɾo) ɣli.fi.'(n)ʣu.ɾi (*ɣʎi.fi.'(n)ʣu.ɾi, ɣʎi.fi.'(n)ʣuɾ), 'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ) go.'fɾԑ.tɐ, 'mi.ɐ ('mɲɐ)
so.ko.'lɐ.tɐ, cԑ po.'lus kɐ.lԑ.'zmԑ.nus#. ʝԑ.'nԑ.θli. ɐ 'i.çԑ, ԑ.'ksɐ.lu!#.
ɐ.'lɐ, pɾo.i'.ɣu.(n)dɐn i pɾo.ԑ.ti.mɐ.'si.ԑs#. 'mɐ.zԑ.psԑ mԑ ti 'sku.pɐ to ɾi.zi cԑ tɐ 'flu.ðʝɐ, pu 'to.ɾɐ 'ԑ.
mɲɐ.zɐn mԑ 'fɐ(n).dɐ.zmɐ sto 'xo.mɐ cԑ 'ԑ.kɐ.nԑ ('cԑ.kɐ.nԑ) stin 'ku.klɐ (sti'(ŋ).gu.klɐ) tis 'bɐ.ɲo mԑ xli.
ɐ.'ɾo (*xʎi.ɐ.'ɾo) nԑ.'ɾo ɐ.'po ti 'vɾi.si (ɐ.pti.'vɾi.si) (*ɐ.pti.'vɾis)#. tis 'ɐ.ɾԑ.sԑ nɐ ti 'di.ni (ti.'(n)dini) mԑ 'ԑ.
nɐ ('mԑ.nɐ) ɾoz mɐ.'ʝo, ɐ.'lɐ 'si.mԑ.ɾɐ tis 'ðʝɐ.lԑ.ksԑ 'ԑ.nɐ xnu.ðo.'to fo.ɾԑ.mɐ.'tɐ.ci mԑ 'mɐ.vɾi 'zo.ni
(*'zo.ɲi, 'zoɲ) pou 'tԑɾ.ʝɐ.zԑ mԑ tɐ zɣu.'ɾɐ tis mɐ.'ʎɐ#. mԑ.'tɐ, 'ԑ.vɣɐ.lԑ ɐ.'po tin 'ʦɐ.dɐ (ɐ.pti.'(n)ʣɐ(n)dɐ)
mԑ tis çi.ɾo.tԑ.'xni. ԑs (*çi.ɾo.tԑ.'xɲi.ԑs) ði.'ɐ.fo.ɾɐ ('ðʝɐ.fo.ɾɐ) sto.'li.ðʝɐ cԑ pԑ.'xni.ðʝɐ (*pԑ.'xɲi.ðʝɐ)#. mԑ
'ԑ.nɐ ('mԑ.nɐ) sçi.'ni(~sci.'ni) 'kɾԑ.mɐ.sԑ psi.'lɐ 'pɐ.no ɐ.'po to fos 'ԑ.nɐ fԑ.'(ŋ)gɐ.ɾi (*fԑ.'(ŋ)gɐɾ), 'ԑ.nɐ 'si.
nԑ.fo, 'ԑ.nɐn xɐɾ.tɐ.ԑ.'to, 'ԑ.nɐ ɐ.ԑ.'ɾo.stɐ.to cԑ mɲɐ 'pɐ.pçɐ mԑ ɐ.plo.'mԑ.nɐ tɐ ftԑ.'ɾɐ#. 'o.lɐ 'mɲɐ.zɐn sɐn
nɐ 'kɐ.nu.nԑ (sɐ.nɐ.'(ŋ)gɐnun) ʦu.'li.θɾɐ cԑ 'i.tɐn ('ci.tɐn) 'tԑ.liɐ sɐ zo.ɣɾɐf.'çɐ#.
'i.mɐ.stԑ 'ԑ.ti.mԑs,#. 'i.pԑ sti dɐ.'(n)dɐ tis, i o.'pi. ɐ sto mԑ.tɐ.'ksi 'i.çԑ 'vɐ.li (*'vɐ.ʎi) ʝɐ.'ʎɐ ʝɐ nɐ 'vlԑ.pi
cԑ 'ԑ.psɐ.xnԑ ston i.po.lo.ʝi.'sti 'pɐ.no sto θɾɐ'ni.o.nɐ vɾi si.(n)dɐ.'ʝi ʝɐ mɐ.ʝi.ɾԑ.'fto xtɐ.'po.ði (*xtɐ.'poð)
mԑ ko.lo.'ci.θçɐ cԑ do'.mɐ.tɐ#. 'i.θԑ.lԑ nɐ ԑ.ti.'mɐ.si (*ԑ.ti.'mɐs) 'kɐ.ti i.ði.'ԑ.tԑ.ɾo (i.'ðʝԑ.tԑ.ɾo) ʝɐ tɐ ʝԑ.'nԑ.
θli.ɐ tis 'ɐ.nɐs, ԑ.'ktos(~ԑ.'xtos) ɐ.'po 'kɾԑ.ɐs cԑ ʣɐ.'ʣi.ci#. 'ɐ.nɐ, min ksԑ.'xɐ.sis (mi.(ŋ)gsԑ.'xɐ.sis) pos
sԑ 'li.ɣo θɐ 'ԑɾ.θi ('θɐɾ.θi) o 'ci.ɾi.os ɣɾi.'ɣo.ɾis,#. tis 'i.pԑ i dɐ.'(n)dɐ#. ɐ.'ftos 'i.tɐn 'ԑ.nɐs 'ʝԑ.ɾos 'ʝi.to.nɐs
e.'ksi.(n)dɐ 'ԑ.ksi xɾo.'non pu 'zu.sԑ sto ði.plɐ.'no 'kti.ɾio#. 'i.tɐn, pa.'ʎɐ, kɐ.'los 'fi.los tu pɐ.'pu ɐ.'fu 'i.
xɐn 'pɐ.ɾi pti.'çio ɐ.'po to 'i.ðʝo pɐ.nԑ.pi.'sti.mio#. 'i.çԑ i.po.sçԑ.'θi pos θɐ 'e.fԑɾ.nԑ stin 'ɐ.nɐ mɲɐ 'bɐ.lɐ
cԑ 'e.nɐ mɐ.ʝi.'ko ɾɐ.'vði pu to ku.'nɐs mԑ to 'çԑ.ɾi cԑ 'ʝi.nԑ.tԑ sfi.'ɾi#. stɐ 'ɲɐ.tɐ tu, o 'ci.ɾi.os ɣɾi.'ɣo.ɾis
tɐ.'ksi.ðԑ.vԑ cԑ ɐ.'ftos (cɐ.'ftos), 'o.pos i ɣo.'nis tis, 'po.tԑ mԑ 'vɐɾ.kɐ ce 'po.tԑ mԑ 'pli.o#. 'kɐ.pçԑs fo.'ɾԑs
'pi.ʝԑ.nԑ se mɐ.kɾi.'nɐ 'mԑ.ɾi mԑ 'kɐ.stɾɐ 'pɐ.no stus 'lo.fus, stɐ o.'pi.ɐ bo.'ɾu.sԑ kɐ.'nis nɐ pli.si.'ɐ.si 'mo.
no mԑ 'ɣɐi.ðɐ.ɾo(~'ɣɐj.ðɐ.ɾo) #. i 'ɐ.nɐ ði.ɐ.'scԑ.ðɐ.zԑ(ðʝɐ.'scԑ.ðɐ.zԑ) mԑ tis i.sto.'ɾi. ԑs pu tis 'ԑ.lԑ.ʝԑ,
xo.'ɾis nɐ 'dɾԑ.pԑ.tԑ#. 'ci.tɐ.ksԑ vʝɐ.sti.'kɐ 'ԑ.kso ɐ.'po to pɐ.'ɾɐ.θi.ɾo nɐ ði ɐn 'ԑɾ.çԑ.tԑ, ɐ.'lɐ o 'ðɾo.mos 'i.
26 E. BABATSOULI
tɐn 'ɐ.ðʝos#. 'mo.no o kɐ.'pnos fԑ.'no.tɐn nɐ pe.'tɐ.ʝԑ.tԑ sɐn 'zvu.ɾɐ ɐ.'po to 'ʣɐ.ci tus cԑ o 'ɐ.spɾos 'fɾɐ.
xtis tis ɐ.'vlis, kɐ.li.'mԑ.nos mԑ 'kɐ.ti sɐn 'xnu.ði pu 'ԑ.pԑ.ftԑ ɐ.'po to 'ðԑ.(n)dɾo (ɐ.pto.'ðԑ.(n)dɾo)#. 'i.tɐn
fθi.'no.po.ɾo#.
mɐ ti 'θo.ɾi.vos 'i.nԑ ɐ.'ftos,#. 'ɾo.ti.sԑ ti dɐ.'(n)dɐ tis, ɐ.'lɐ ԑ.'ci.ni 'i.çԑ, ɐ.'po 'o.ɾɐ, vʝi ɐ.'po to (ɐ.'pto)
ðo.'mɐ.ti.o#. 'ʝi.ɾi.sԑ cԑ ti nɐ ði, 'mԑ.sɐ ɐ.'ptis sԑ.'li.ðԑs tu ɐ.ɣɐ.pi.'mԑ.nu tis vi.'vli.u ksԑ.pԑ.'tɐ.xti.kɐn 'o.
lɐ tɐ ɣno.'stɐ tis 'zo.ɐ cԑ mɐ.'zi mԑ ɐ.'ftɐ ci 'ԑ.nɐs ('cԑ.nɐs) 'ɐ.sçi.mos (~'ɐ.sci.mos) 'sci.los, 'ԑ.nɐs ԑ.'lԑ.fɐ.
(n)dɐs, 'ԑ.nɐ ʎo.'(n)dɐ.ɾi cԑ 'ԑ.nɐ ɣɐ.'tɐ.ci#. tɐ 'mɐ.θɐ.tԑ tɐ 'nԑ.ɐ, mi.'lu.sɐn sɐn nɐ 'i.tɐn (sɐ.'nɐ.tɐn)
pԑ.'ðʝɐ#., 'i.ðɐ.mԑ e.nɐ ðԑl.'fi.ni nɐ 'vʝԑ.ni ɐ.'po ti 'li.mni#. 'ksԑ.ɾi kɐ.'nis nɐ 'spɾo.xni foɾ.'tio ʝɐ nɐ to
'ðʝo.ksu.mԑ sti 'θɐ.lɐ.sɐ#. ԑ.'ðo cin.ði.'nԑ.vi ɐ.'po ԑx.'θɾus#. i 'ɐ.nɐ 'pɐ.(n)dɐ 'i.θԑ.lԑ nɐ vo.i.'θɐ.i (vo.i.'θɐ)
tus 'ɐ.lus cԑ, ɐ.'mԑ.sos, pɾo.'sfԑɾ.θi.cԑ nɐ ðɐ.'ni.si (*ðɐ.'ɲi.si) to po.'ði.lɐ.ˌto tis 'i to ɐ.fto.'ci.ni.to tis dɐ.
(n)dɐs#. ta 'zo.ɐ 'ԑ.sti.lɐn ɐ.'mԑ.sos 'mi.ni.mɐ stin o.'mɐ.ðɐ ði.'ɐ.so.sis ('ðʝɐ.so.sis) cԑ mԑ.'tɐ 'ʝoɾ.tɐ.san tɐ
ʝԑ.'nԑ.θli.ɐ tis 'ɐ.nɐs 'o.li mɐ.'zi, sɐn ɐ.'ðԑɾ.fçɐ#. ɐn 'θԑ.lԑ.tԑ to pi.'stԑ.vԑ.tԑ, ɐ.'lɐ to xnu.ðo.'to ɣɐ.'tɐ.ci 'ԑ.
fɐ.ʝԑ to mԑ.ɣɐ.'li.tԑ.ɾo ko.'mɐ.ti tis 'tuɾ.tɐs mԑ tis 'fɾɐ.u.lԑs(~'fɾɐw.lԑs) cԑ tɐ ɐ'miɣ.ðɐlɐ (tɐ.'miɣ.ðɐlɐ)#.
i 'ɐ.nɐ 'pԑ.ɾɐ.sԑ i'pԑ.ɾo.xɐ ԑ.'ci.ni tin i'mԑ.ɾɐ (ti'mԑ.ɾɐ) 'to.so pu θɐ 'ԑ.mԑ.nԑ ('θɐ.mԑnԑ) sti 'mni.mi tis
(*'mɲi.mi tis, 'mɲimits)#. sɐn tin (sɐ.(n)din) 'ɐ.nɐ ton ɐ.'ɣɾon, 'i.ksԑ.ɾԑ nɐ 'ftçɐ.xni ('fçɐ.xni) (*'fçɐ.xɲi,
'fçɐxɲ) ti 'mԑ.ɾɐ tis cԑ pos 'li.ʝi fɐ.(n)dɐ.'si.ɐ bo.'ɾi nɐ sԑ 'pɐ.i ɐ.po to 'ɐl.fɐ sto o.'mԑ.ɣɐ#.
English Translation
Anna’s birthday
Once upon a time, under a pine tree, the biggest tree in the park, there was a house that looked
like a manger. Τhere lived a girl with her old nanny. Her daddy and mammy had gone on a long
trip out to sea. The child had a doll, beautiful like a fairy, but it was missing its ears. She carried it
along with her in a basket, because it reminded her of the teacher she could see from her bed,
outside the pane, coming every morning by train and leaving late in the evening. She was looking
forward to growing up herself and, also, going to school. Still, she often liked to read her favorite
book, a type of atlas. There was a flower on the front cover of the book, and several animals were
shown inside, such as an ostrich, a frog, a tiger, a monkey, a turtle, and a huge dragon that played
soccer and would even score a goal.
That day was the girl’s birthday. Sticking her head out of the window, she saw that the night frost
was melting like rain over the front-door step, as the golden sun was slowly breaking out. She first
washed her face with soap, tidied her hair with the comb and then, after looking at her tongue in the
mirror, she quickly glanced at her head and back. On the table among the dishes, there was already
waiting for her a cup of hot milk and some tea, which was exactly what her achy throat needed not to
be scratching. As she was having breakfast, she noticed that, next to her shoe on the carpet, there were
some fruit peels and plenty of rice, and that they had taken a strange shape. They looked somewhat
like a whistle and somewhat like a sharpener on grass. She spread her arm to pick them up when,
suddenly, she heard the clock on the wall strike eight times, and the door keys turn. Then, she saw her
nanny enter the room holding something huge, like a blue balloon. “What a big, round sack! What a
beautiful bow! And, how many gifts are hidden inside! An entire treasure” said the girl. Although her
parents were gone, they had not forgotten her, nor her birthday. “Thank you!” she exclaimed,
beginning to unwrap the first package, wishing that a pair of inexpensive socks or a fish bowl were
hidden in it. Nevertheless, she only found a grey truck, so real that it even had a gas pedal and tools.
SEQUEL
“Anna, leave the gifts next to the fireplace and finish your breakfast!” the nanny told her. Anna
had put a thermometer in her mouth the night before to see if she had fever and, now, she wasn’t so
hungry to eat the toast, the egg, the yellow cheese, and the spinach pie that were stacked in front of
her. She wasn’t a fool to change her mind. Neither did she like to express her feelings by crying. On
the contrary, she was dreaming of a big party inside daddy’s study with colours, candy, a green
lollipop, a wafer, a chocolate, and a lot of guests. It was her birthday, after all!
Preparations come first, though. She used the broom to pick up the rice and fruit peels that now
looked like a ghost on the floor(soil) and, then, gave her doll a bath in lukewarm water from the tap.
She liked dressing the doll in a pink swimsuit, but today she chose a fuzzy dress with a black belt
CLINICAL LINGUISTICS & PHONETICS 27
that matched its curly hair. Afterwards, she brought several decorations and toys out of the
handicrafts bag and used a rope to hang them high over the light: a moon, a cloud, a kite, a hot
air balloon, and a duck with spread-out wings. They all looked like they were going down a slide
and were picture-perfect.
“We are ready!” she told her nanny, who had put on her reading glasses in the meantime and,
sitting at the desk, was browsing the internet for an octopus-in-tomato or zucchini and cucumbers
recipe. She wanted to prepare something special for Anna’s birthday, besides meat and tzatziki.
“Άnna, don't forget that Mr. Gregory is coming in a short while” the nanny told her. He was an old
neighbour, a sixty-six year old, who lived in the adjacent building. He used to be grandpa’s good
friend, since they both got their degree from the same university. He had promised to bring Anna a
ball and a magic wand that becomes a hammer when shaken by hand. In his youth, Mr. Gregory
travelled a lot, like her parents, sometimes by boat and sometimes by ship. On and off, he would go
to distant places with castles on top of the hills, where one could only reach riding a donkey. Anna
enjoyed listening to the stories he told her, without being shy. She hastily looked outside the
window to see if he was coming, but the street was empty. Only the smoke could be seen like a
spinning top from the fireplace and the white fence in the yard, covered by something like fuzz that
was falling from the tree. It was autumn.
“What is this noise?” she asked her nanny, but she had long gone out of the room. She turned
the other way, and what a surprise! Out of the pages of her favorite book, there appeared all the
animals mentioned before, and many more along with them, such as an ugly dog, an elephant, a
lion, a kitten and a grasshopper. “Have you heard the news?” they were saying like they were
children “we saw a dolphin come out of the lake! Does anyone know how to push heavy load so we
can send it away to the sea? It's in danger from enemies here or it might drown.” Anna always
wanted to help others, and she immediately offered to lend her bike or nanny’s car. The animals,
however, at once sent a message to the rescue team and, afterwards, they all celebrated Anna’s
birthday together, like siblings. Believe it if you want: the fuzzy kitty ate the largest piece of the
strawberry-almond cake!
Anna had a wonderful time that day; so much so that it would stay in her memory. Like Anne of
Green Gables, she knew how to make her day. She also knew that a little imagination can take one
from alpha to omega.