 When we speak naturally, we don't
produce individual sounds but whole strings of sounds, which
form words (Language
Files, p. 80). |
Spoken
English is made up of strings of consonant and vowel pairs (CV-CV-CV)
called "phonemes." A
phoneme is the smallest unit of language recognized by a native
speaker (example: /k/ in the word written "cat"). Meaningful
groups of these units strung together (/k/+/a/+/t/) become words,
phrases and sentences. 
Individuals who are hearing access spoken language through
sound.
Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can
access the same information through sight when a traditionally
spoken language is cued.
When a language is spoken and
cued at the same time (see
Cued Speech), children who are deaf or hard of hearing and hearing
children access the same information at the same time, in
the same language. |
Sources: Beaupre (1989);
Cornett (1991); Fleetwood and Metzger (1990, 1995, 1998);
Jannedy, Poletto and Weldon, edits., Language Files (1991);
Wandel (1989)
|
