Elisions and transpositions in phonemes are referred to as which type of modification?

Elisions and transpositions in phonemes are categorized as manipulations because they involve altering the structure of speech sounds. Manipulation refers to the process of changing, rearranging, or modifying phonemes within spoken language. This can include the omission of certain sounds (elision) or the rearranging of sounds (transposition) to create new phonetic outcomes or to adapt speech patterns. Such processes are critical for understanding various phonological phenomena, including how speech develops, the evolution of language, and the strategies used in speech therapy to address speech sound disorders.

In contrast, other choices do not accurately describe the processes of elisions and transpositions. Additions would imply introducing new phonemes rather than modifying existing ones. Blending refers to merging sounds or phonemes to form new ones, which is different from the concept of eliminating or rearranging them. Lastly, deletions focus solely on removing phonemes without the aspect of transposing them or combining them in new ways, making "manipulations" the most fitting descriptor for the processes of elision and transposition.