Adaptation to Language: Evidence from Babbling and First Words in Four Languages.

De Boysson-Bardies, Benedicte; Vihman, Marilyn May

Notes FAQ Contact Us

Back to results

Peer reviewed

ERIC Number: EJ470819

Record Type: CIJE

Publication Date: 1991

Pages: N/A

Abstractor: N/A

ISBN: N/A

ISSN: ISSN-0097-8507

EISSN: N/A

Available Date: N/A

Adaptation to Language: Evidence from Babbling and First Words in Four Languages.

De Boysson-Bardies, Benedicte; Vihman, Marilyn May

Language, v67 n2 p297-39 Jun 1991

Examines whether systematic differences exist in babbling and first words of infants from different language backgrounds (English, French, Japanese and Swedish) and asks whether differences result from the phonetic structure of the languages. Statistically significant differences discerned in the babbling phonetic selection indicates that phonetic selection arises from the phonetic pattern of the ambient language. (Contains 34 references.) (JL)

Descriptors: Child Language, Comparative Analysis, English, French, Infants, Japanese, Language Patterns, Longitudinal Studies, Phonetics, Swedish, Uncommonly Taught Languages

Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles

Education Level: N/A

Audience: N/A

Language: English

Sponsor: N/A

Authoring Institution: N/A

Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A

Author Affiliations: N/A