What is Fronting?

Fronting (Fr) is a phonological process, sometimes defined in subsets of Palatal Fronting and Velar Fronting, typically lasting up to the age of 3.5 years.

This process involves a sound produced near the back of the mouth (velar or palatal sounds) being replaced by a sound produced in the front of the mouth (usually an alveolar sound).

Examples of Palatal Fronting:

• chair = tair

• sheep = seep

• bridge = brid

• measure = meh-zer

• juice = doos

Examples of Velar Fronting:

• game = dame

• pack = pat

• popcorn = poptorn

• sing = sin

• care = there