Which word in the sample demonstrates final-position substitution, such as replacing a final velar with an alveolar?

Which word in the sample demonstrates final-position substitution, such as replacing a final velar with an alveolar?

• A. tree
• B. coat
• C. duck
• D. can

Answer: (C)

Final-position substitution is when the last consonant in a word is replaced by a different consonant, often replacing a velar at the end with an alveolar. The word duck ends with a velar stop /k/. In many children’s speech, final velars tend to be replaced by alveolars like /t/ or /d/, so duck can be pronounced as something like /dʌt/ (sound-wise, “duct”). That shows the pattern clearly: a velar at the end being substituted by an alveolar. The other words don’t illustrate this because they either end with a non-velar sound (tree ends in a vowel, coat ends with an alveolar /t/, can ends with an alveolar /n/), so there isn’t a final velar that could be substituted.

Final-position substitution is when the last consonant in a word is replaced by a different consonant, often replacing a velar at the end with an alveolar. The word duck ends with a velar stop /k/. In many children’s speech, final velars tend to be replaced by alveolars like /t/ or /d/, so duck can be pronounced as something like /dʌt/ (sound-wise, “duct”). That shows the pattern clearly: a velar at the end being substituted by an alveolar.

The other words don’t illustrate this because they either end with a non-velar sound (tree ends in a vowel, coat ends with an alveolar /t/, can ends with an alveolar /n/), so there isn’t a final velar that could be substituted.