The Theory of Natural Phonology

The Theory of Natural Phonology suggests that children’s speech patterns are shaped by innate, natural sound processes that simplify speech as they develop. These processes are typical and universal, enabling children to produce sounds and words more easily. Over time, these natural simplifications are refined and replaced by the adult’s correct speech sounds. Essentially, children temporarily use simpler or easier sounds because their speech system is still developing, but as they grow, their speech becomes more precise, aligning with adult language norms.