Distinctive Features in the Pluralization Rules of English Speakers

Abstract
First and second graders, given CVC singulars (e.g., NAR) orally and asked to choose between two plurals (NARF-NARK), preferred final sounds sharing with /z/ the stridency or continuance features. This suggests that their pluralization rules are formulated in terms of distinctive features rather than sound segments. Kindergarten children and adults showed no such preferences.

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