Language Development in Infants
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Questions and Answers

At what age are infants capable of vocal imitation at a greater rate?

  • 6 months
  • 3 months
  • 12 months (correct)
  • 18 months
  • What is the primary function of infants' early attempts to initiate interactions with adults?

  • To coordinate gestures, looks and vocalisations
  • To respond to the points of others
  • To direct the adult's attention to the infant or an object (correct)
  • To vocalize and produce sounds
  • What is the aspect of language concerned with the perception and production of sounds?

  • Semantics
  • Phonology (correct)
  • Syntax
  • Morphology
  • How do older children typically initiate interactions with others compared to younger children?

    <p>They wait until the other speaker has finished</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary way infants as young as 8 months initiate interactions with adults?

    <p>Pointing or reaching towards an object</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of young children's tendency to interrupt others in conversations?

    <p>Disrupted conversational flow</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do adults contribute to the structure and maintenance of conversations with young children?

    <p>They contribute a great deal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do infants learn to do as they acquire language?

    <p>Use more vocalisations and fewer gestures</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between facial imitation at 3 months and vocal imitation at 12 months?

    <p>Facial imitation at 3 months is related to a greater rate of vocal imitation at 12 months</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of imitation in children's conversations with others?

    <p>To take a turn by repeating all or part of what the speaker has just said</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Language Acquisition

    • Infants decipher speech sounds to understand language by dividing the speech stream into meaningful units.
    • Infant-directed speech (motherese) facilitates language acquisition, characterized by a higher pitch, more exaggerated pitch contours, a larger pitch range, and rhythmic speech.

    Speech Segmentation

    • By 7 months, infants can recognize familiar words in an uninterrupted speech stream.
    • Infants use cues like strongly stressed syllables to determine word beginnings and endings.
    • Infants prefer to listen to human speech over other sounds, facilitating speech segmentation.

    Speech Production

    • Infants' ability to produce speech sounds lags behind their ability to perceive them.
    • Developmental phases of vocal production include:
      • Reflexive vocalizations (birth-2 months)
      • Cooing and laughing (2-4 months)
      • Babbling and vocal play (4-6 months)
      • Canonical babbling (6-10 months)
      • Modulated babbling (10 months-onwards)

    The Development of the Syntactic System

    • Children's acquisition of syntax follows a predictable pattern in the first two years of life.
    • Between 10-18 months, children begin to produce single-word utterances.
    • Between 18-24 months, children begin to produce two-word utterances, conveying meaningful information.

    Articulation and Imitation

    • Children's pronunciation is affected by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.
    • Imitation plays a significant role in language development, with infants capable of imitation from a young age.
    • Turn-taking and initiation of interactions are also crucial aspects of language development.

    Conversation Maintenance

    • Appropriate turn-taking is essential for conversational flow.
    • Young children tend to interrupt others, while older children are more likely to wait for their turn.
    • Adults contribute significantly to the structure and maintenance of conversations with young children.

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    Description

    Learn how infants develop language skills, including deciphering speech sounds and overcoming the challenges of the speech stream.

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