A Criticism of Stampe`s Natural Phonology in Light of Recent Findings in the Study of Psycholinguistics

Abstract

史旦(Stampe)的自然語音理論(Theory of Natural Phonology)於最近十年來，大受語言學家的重視。此派理論，雖根源於愆生語音理論(Generative Phonology)，但在一些問題運用及語音程序上，卻有不同看法。其理論據點，主要是由觀察幼兒學習語音的情形而來。其中最重要的論點有二：一、幼兒在牙牙學語時，其語音有別於年長人，主要不在於聽覺能力(perceptualability)，而在於說話能力有困雞(articulation difficulties)。即是說，幼兒在年紀很少時，其語言聽覺能力，已如年長人的豐滿程序。二、幼兒學習語音，是一`有或無`的二分現象。即是說，幼兒在學習語音過程中，如把Ａ音位讀作Ｂ音位，但在幼兒學會了Ａ音位後，則所有有Ａ音位的字中，幼兒都會把它讀作Ａ，而不會讀作其它音位。本文首先簡介此派理論，然後引用心理語言學中幼兒學語的研究文獻，加以反證上列兩個論點。

While it is foreseeable that Stampe`s theory of Natural Phonology will be getting more attention among phonologists, and will be very soon employed in the study of Chinese phonology, the author attempts to point out two problems of the basic assumptions of the theory. The paper will first start with a very brief outline of the theory. It will be followed by a criticism of the the theory in light of recent findings in the study of Psycholinguistics.