What is Weak Syllable Deletion?
Weak Syllable Deletion (WSD), also called Syllable Reduction or Unstressed Syllable Deletion is a phonological process which typically assimilates within the third year, lasting up to the age of 4 years.
This process effects poly-syllabic words (words with more than one syllable such as basketball, caterpillar, temperature, furniture) and involves the deletion or omission of an unstressed syllable.
Examples of weak syllable deletion:
Mississippi = miss-ippi
above = buv
umbrella = bella
basketball = bah-ball
potato = tay-doh
Please note: WSD may be present in a person’s speech as a dialectical difference rather than a phonological process.