babbling

[kampen]

>Someone has asked me whether it is true that babies' first word is 
>Daddy and whether this is because the articulation position of D is 
>easiest?  not sure either is true but would appreciated comments 
>from those who study this area.  Are the words for Daddy/Papa etc. 
>and Mummy/Maman etc. easier because there is no change of place of 
>articulation?  All thoughts on the topic most appreciated.
>thanks
>Annette K-S


Jakobson (1942) already noticed this and had an analysis in terms of
feature-oppositions and hierarchy in learning steps due to neural control
of the articulation apparatus. Jakobson developed the thesis that the
hierarchy in language acquisition manifested itself as well in language
history, as in a downward movement in aphasia as in the spread of
typological features. 

Jacqueline


http://www.let.uu.nl/~Jacqueline.vanKampen/personal/

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