Which statement correctly describes phonemic contrasts in phonological versus articulation disorders?

• A. Phonemic contrasts are typically intact in phonological disorders.
• B. Phonemic contrasts are typically intact in articulation disorders.
• C. Phonemic contrasts are typically impaired in both types.
• D. Phonemic contrasts cannot be assessed in articulation disorders.

Answer: (B)

Phonemic contrasts are about whether a language keeps distinct sound categories to differentiate meaning. In articulation disorders, the problem is with producing sounds correctly, not with the mental organization of sound categories. The person’s underlying phonemic system remains intact, so they can still perceive and use contrasts even if a sound is misarticulated in one or a few contexts. In contrast, phonological disorders involve the mental representations and rules that organize sounds into phonemic contrasts; patterns of simplification (like fronting or stopping) reflect a disruption in these contrasts, affecting multiple sounds and contexts. So, it’s typically true that phonemic contrasts stay intact in articulation disorders, while they are impaired in phonological disorders.