Bouncy baby-talk serves language development

Bouncy baby-talk serves language development


Have you ever wondered why we often communicate with babies in sing-song, rhythmic speech patterns?

For many adults, speaking to infants this way comes quite naturally. And, as it turns out, a new study shows there is an evolutionary benefit to baby-talk.

Many linguists consider phonetic [fun-et-ick] information, which refers to the smallest sound components of the spoken word, to be the building blocks of language. It was believed that babies learned to piece together this phonetic information to form language.

But the new research from University of Cambridge scientists reveals that up until about 7 months of age, babies learn language based on rhythmic speech — the sing-song patterns associated with baby-talk, rather than through phonetic information.

Babies can even pick up on these rhythmic patterns in the womb.

The rhythmic approach works because of its emphasis on different syllables and the rising and falling tones of speech. It is believed to be the hidden glue underpinning the development of a successful language system, experts said.

Infants use their rhythmic foundation like scaffolding, on which they later build phonetic information to form a full understanding of natural speech.

This is the first study to reveal evidence of brain activity relating to how phonetic information is processed differently and how it changes during infancy. The study is part of a larger project aimed at exploring how picking up a languge relates to dyslexia and developmental language disorder.

The next time you find yourself going ga-ga over a newborn, go ahead and let the baby-talk fly. You’re playing an important part in the baby’s future success.

Related Episodes