A Linguistic Study on Sinhala Plosive and Fricative Sound Pronunciation of Individuals with Cleft Lip and Palate, and Those Who Recovered it through Treatment

Abstract

During the first three months of fetal development, the proper fusion of the upper lip and palate may fail, resulting in conditions known as "cleft lip" and "cleft palate." The initial corrective surgery for "cleft lip" is typically performed three months after birth, while the procedure for correcting a "cleft palate" occurs between 6-12 months post-birth. Moreover, there are also people whose disease remains the same without any surgery. This research aims to conduct a comparative linguistic analysis of Sinhala plosive and fricative sound pronunciation among individuals with cleft lip and palate and those who have undergone corrective surgery. The research problem is: "What is the speech form of Sinhala plosive and fricative sound pronunciations among individuals with cleft lip and cleft palate, as compared to those who have recovered it through treatment? "Primary data for this research were collected from five individuals with untreated cleft lip and palate conditions and five individuals who have successfully recovered it through surgery. The research specifically analyses the phonological aspects of spoken Sinhala plosive and fricative sounds, studying the distribution of these sounds in words commonly using plosives and fricatives in spoken Sinhala. Secondary data were gathered using relevant books and magazines. This study is unique in its way as it provides a comparative analysis of the phonetic characteristics of Sinhala plosive and fricative sounds in two distinct groups: those with cleft lip and palate conditions and those who have successfully recovered it through treatment. The research findings indicate clear differences in pronunciation between individuals who have received treatment for their medical conditions and those who have not. Thus, it can be concluded that speech impairments can be seen in people with diseases, and positive features are reflected in the speech of people who have received proper treatment.