Gliding
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GLIDING |
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Definition: |
Replacing a continuant (especially a liquid) with a glide. |
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Comment: |
In principle, gliding occurs when any continuant is replaced with a glide /w j/. However, a particular and common instance of gliding is gliding of liquids. In this process it is just the liquids /r l/ that are replaced with a glide /w j/.
Gliding is usually eradicated by around 5;00 years. |
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Examples: |
leaf /lif/ → /jif/ red /rɛd/→ /wɛd/ |
Continuant → glide
Table 11 summarizes the distribution of continuants and glides.
Table 11. Distribution of continuants and glides.
It is apparent that glides themselves are continuants. However, it is necessary to highlight the two glides, as the phonological process of gliding occurs when a continuant consonant is replaced by either of the glides /w/ or /j/. Now, as the glides /w j/ cannot occur in syllable-final position in English, the process of gliding typically only affects continuants in syllable-initial position, e.g.
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fee |
/fi/ |
→ |
/wi/ |
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ship |
/ʃɪp/ |
→ |
/jɪp/ |
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feather |
/fɛðə/ |
→ |
/fɛjə/ |
Liquid → glide
Whilst gliding can, in principle, affect any continuant in syllable-initial position, the most common occurrence of gliding is the gliding of liquids. For example, the liquid /l/ in the word yellow /jɛləʊ/ may be substituted by the glide /w/ to produce /jɛwəʊ/. Further examples of the gliding of liquids include the following.
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red |
/rɛd/ |
→ |
/wɛd/ |
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lolly |
/lɒlɪ/ |
→ |
/jɒjɪ/ |
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love |
/lʌv/ |
→ |
/wʌv/ |
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dolly |
/dɒlɪ/ |
→ |
/dɒjɪ/ |
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play |
/pleɪ/ |
→ |
/pweɪ/ |
For most typically developing children, gliding is eradicated by around 5;00 years of age.
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