Pronunciation Problem

[yucabird]

My younger daughter just turned three, and her language skills are quite good (She has English/Spanish fluency, uses advanced vocab, and is easy-to-understand.). However, she has a slight s/“th†lisp (example: Miss = mith). This isn’t a problem for Spanish (e.g., gracias = grathias); the concern is English.

 

I have not called her attention to the pronunciation problem because doing so would probably not help. Does anyone know if this is something children can outgrow?

 

Donna

[Mabelen]

Donna, I don't quite understand when you say your daughter's lisp isn't a concern for Spanish but it is for English. Both English and European Spanish have distinctive (th) and (s) sounds; thinking and sinking in English, caza and casa in Spanish are examples. I am from Spain, I pronounce caza as catha, but I don't pronounce casa as catha... if I did I would be lisping but I don't. Someone would be lisping in English if they were to pronounce sinking as thinking, but they would not be lisping if they pronounced thinking as thinking...

 

Is your daughter able to pronounce her S sounds when required? If your daughter is pronouncing Gracias as Grathiath, then she is lisping in Spanish as she does with Mith in English, if she is pronouncing it as Grathias then she isn't, but simply following standard Spanish pronunciation.

 

If she is able to pronounce her S sounds in any of her two languages then it would be a matter of time for her to transfer that to the other language. If she is unable to pronounce her S sound at all, then I guess that would be true lisping and might need to be corrected with therapy in time if it doesn't self correct before... not sure what the expectations for that particular sound are age wise. If you are concerned, you could check with your pediatrician regarding this issue.

[OlgaLA]

If she just turned three I wouldn't be concerned yet. She is still young. My son is getting close to 4 now, and still has problems with several sounds, both with s/th/sh/ group and Rs, which he either skips, usually where he really needs them, or says them as L, where he could safely drop them. I am still waiting for him to outgrow it. But of course, if you are worried, you could check with specialists.

[yucabird]

Thank you both for responding.

 

My Spanish example was incorrect; she does add a “th†at the end of gracias ("grathiath"). Casa is “cathaâ€. So the problem is occurring in both languages.

 

She receives positive feedback from native Spanish speakers in our area (Mexican decent), so there may be a general unfamiliarity with the “thâ€. (I claim total ignorance, as my Spanish (and pronunciation) is atrocious!:blushing:) I am not worried about her receiving positive reinforcement….She is not the type of kid to do something to please others.

 

She lowers her voice before the sound in either language, so the lisp isn’t glaring. (Before I called it to his attention, my husband hadn’t noticed it, but he admits it is there.) Otherwise she is exact in her pronunciations.

 

There is a limited amount doctors here would know or could do about it, so I am going to relax and just mention it to a pediatrician the next time we visit the States.

[Mabelen]

I understand now... I am pretty sure, like you said, that the positive feedback she is receiving from Spanish speakers of Mexican descent is due to lack of familiarity with standard European Spanish pronunciation.

 

The funny thing is that there is a region in Spain, Andalucia, where you find small pockets where the lisping pronunciation is the norm. This is a variation within a regional variety of Peninsular Spanish, it is not standard pronunciation. To make it even funnier you can also find pockets within the same region, Andalucia, where you find standard Latin American pronunciation, i.e., both casa and caza would be pronounced as casa. Even funnier still is that you can find two villages only a couple of miles apart and one will have a lisping pronunciation and the other an S whistling pronunciation... clear as mud, right?

 

Anyway, I did a quick google search for you and I read that lisping at 3 is still within the normal developmental range all the way until at least 4 1/2 years of age, so you shouldn't worry about that yet. It may very well resolve itself. I myself had trouble rolling my Rs until I was about 6, I distinctly remember my family members modeling for me and giving me tips about how to pronounce my strong Rs properly. Eventually I did it without any special intervention. All the best.

[Guest beatrixpoul]

In English and Spanish is the badge (TH) and (s) sounds, thought, and sank in English, Spanish, Caza and House are examples. I'm from Spain, I pronounce as Catha Caza, but not to pronounce the house Catha. if I did I would lisp, but I do not. Someone should lisp in English if they say the wreck of thought.

[Mabelen]

Yup, this was me too. When I finally trilled my first R, at 5.5, my mother threw me a party. Needless to say, I wasn't sure if I should be happy for getting a party or mortified because of the reason :tongue_smilie:

 

A party? Lucky you! :lol: Any excuse is a good excuse for a party!

[Tylianna]

When my dd was in speech therapy for a lisp, she was told to say her 's' sound with closed teeth. She would practice words with her teeth together so she could hear what it sounds like.

 

She is no longer in therapy since she is not in the public school system, but we remind her once in a while to say her 's' properly.