How to know if it's a pronunciation difference related to dialect or a mistake?
It is often not possible to know just by listening.
- You can begin to separate the two by knowing how your child pronounces certain words. For example, if 'mist' and 'fist' etc. are always pronounced without the final 't' you can begin to see a pattern.
- You can get some assistance by probing for meaning. For example, if the child says "miss" and you don't know whether 'miss' or 'mist' is the intended word, ask about the meaning of the word.
