The aim of this paper is to find out whether there is a connection between babbling and the production of first words. To answer this question, the data from Clark 2016 and Contreras/Saporta 2013 will be analysed. First, the theoretical background is explained, then the data analysis is presented. This is followed by a discussion and the work is concluded with a conclusion.
Language is considered an important means of communication that allows people to share their thoughts, feelings and sensations. Through language it is also possible to communicate with people from other cultures using different languages. Therefore, it is important that children have access to language at an early age to be able to communicate. Language competence is not present from the beginning but is acquired during life. Development takes place in a process that evolves. From birth, children produce sounds that develop into words as they become older.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Theoretical Background
- 2.1 Phonetics and Phonology
- 2.2 Language acquisition and phonological development
- 3. Data Analysis
- 4. Discussion
- 5. Conclusion
- 6. List of references
Objective & Thematic Areas
This paper aims to investigate the connection between babbling and the production of first words in children, drawing on existing studies and prominent theories of language acquisition and phonological development.
- Early language acquisition
- Phonological development in children
- The role of babbling in first word formation
- Key concepts in phonetics and phonology
- Theories of language development (e.g., Relational Frame Theory, social interaction, structural linguistics)
- Empirical data analysis of child speech development
Excerpt from the Book
3. Data Analysis
In the following, the research question "Is there a connection between babbling and the production of first words?" is examined using two studies.
The first study, "Phonological development in the speech of a bilingual child" from 2013, is by Heles Contreras and Sol Saporta and examines phonological development in the speech of a bilingual child. It concerns a child aged between one year and one year and seven months. The study, as the title suggests, refers to a bilingual child whose father speaks English and whose mother speaks Spanish, but the child has only one language system during the study period (Contreras & Saporta 2013: 280). Contreras and Saporta divided the study into seven temporal phases, with the intervals predominantly representing one month. At each occurrence, the phonemes and allophones are presented. The following examples are structured in such a way that first the occurring phoneme is presented with the realised allophone, together with the phonetic transcription of the word in which it occurs. This is followed by the phonemic transcription preceded by "Ch" for the interpretation in the child's system and, after the sign "<", the word to which the child has oriented himself in the utterance. Here, "E" stands for the English language and "Sp" for the Spanish language, whereby this work mainly concentrates on the English utterances. In addition, the abbreviations I (initially), M (medially) and F (finally) indicate the place of occurrence (ibid.: 280-281).
In the first stage at the age of one year, the child begins to form first words by combining different phonemes. On the one hand, the phoneme /a/, which is an open vowel, is acquired by the child trying to repeat the word "bob". In addition, the child acquires the phoneme /p/, which is not a vowel but a bilabial plosive. Bilabial in this context means that the sound is produced where the lips are brought together, and plosive means that the sound is produced by a constriction in the vocal tract that holds the air (Kortmann 2020: 31). This phoneme is used both at the beginning of the word (onset) and at the end (coda) (ibid.: 40).
Although the child does not succeed in imitating the presented word during imitation because the phoneme /o/ cannot be realised, the child nevertheless tries to form first words (see ex-ample 1).
/a/ [a] [bab] Ch/pap/ < E Bob
/p/ [p] [bap] Ch/pap/ < E Bob
[b] [bab] Ch/pap/ < E Bob
[bab] Ch/pap/ < E Bob
Example 1: Contreras & Saporta 2013: 281
In the course of the following stages, further phonemes are realised. Since this paper focuses on the relationship between babbling and the production of the first words, only the first three stages are considered in the analysis.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces language as a crucial means of communication and outlines the process of child language development, culminating in the paper's core objective: to determine the connection between babbling and first words.
2. Theoretical Background: This section lays the groundwork by discussing theories of language acquisition and phonological development, along with definitions of key terms in phonetics and phonology.
2.1 Phonetics and Phonology: This sub-chapter defines phonetics and phonology as linguistic subfields, explaining the distinctions between phonemes, phones, and allophones, and categorizing English consonants by their place and manner of articulation.
2.2 Language acquisition and phonological development: This sub-chapter explores various theories of language acquisition, including Relational Frame Theory by Hayes, social interaction theory by Bruner, and structural linguistics by Jakobson.
3. Data Analysis: This chapter investigates the research question by analyzing findings from two specific studies: Contreras and Saporta (2013) on a bilingual child's phonological development and Clark (2016) on similarities between babbling and early words.
4. Discussion: This chapter compares the observations from the two analyzed studies with the theoretical frameworks presented, confirming consistent patterns in phoneme acquisition and early word formation across different contexts.
5. Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the evidence from both the empirical studies and the theoretical perspectives, affirming a clear connection between babbling and the production of first words, highlighting the significance of interaction and reproduction in language acquisition.
Keywords
Language acquisition, phonological development, babbling, first words, phonetics, phonology, phonemes, allophones, articulation, Relational Frame Theory, social interaction, structural linguistics, child language, communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this paper fundamentally about?
This paper fundamentally investigates the relationship between children's early babbling and their subsequent production of first words, exploring whether a direct connection exists.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include early language acquisition, phonological development, the theoretical background of phonetics and phonology, and the analysis of empirical data on child speech.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to determine whether there is a connection between babbling and the production of first words.
What scientific method is used?
The paper employs a comparative analysis method, examining findings from two existing scientific studies (Contreras & Saporta 2013, and Clark 2016) to answer its research question.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part covers the theoretical background of language acquisition and phonological development, followed by a detailed data analysis of two studies, and a discussion comparing their findings with the theories.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms characterizing the work include language acquisition, phonological development, babbling, first words, phonetics, phonology, and various linguistic theories.
What are the key differences between phonemes, phones, and allophones?
A phoneme is the smallest distinguishable unit of sound existing conceptually in a language, phones are the actual pronounced realizations of these sounds, and allophones are predictable phonetic variants of a phoneme.
Which theories of language acquisition are discussed in the paper?
The paper discusses Relational Frame Theory by Steven C. Hayes, social interaction theory by Jerome Bruner, and Roman Jakobson's theory based on structural linguistics.
What specific examples are used in the data analysis to illustrate early word formation?
The data analysis uses examples such as a bilingual child's attempts to pronounce words like "bob" and "ball," and the formation of early syllables like "babababa," "mama," and "papa."
How does interaction with caregivers influence early language development?
According to the theories discussed, interaction with caregivers is crucial as it provides stimuli, motivates children to produce sounds and words, and helps them connect sounds with meaning, moving beyond egocentric self-talk.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonymous (Autor), 2022, Is there a connection between babbling and the production of first words?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1624406
