<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Except, of course, that Jakobson had no independent data on the neural control of any aspect of articulation - and we still don't, to my knowledge - so his explanation is better considered as a speculation.<DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Lists of 'first words' in English include 'byebye' - which fits the babble-like pattern - and 'no', which clearly has motivation from sources other than ease of articulation.</DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Reportage of first words has the problems that adults have expectations about what the 'first word' is culturally supposed to be, and that observers can differ greatly as to 'what counts' as an attempt at a word, depending on how clear the context is. </DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Lise Menn<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Sep 12, 2006, at 2:34 AM, kampen wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Someone has asked me whether it is true that babies' first word is<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Daddy and whether this is because the articulation position of D is<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">easiest?<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>not sure either is true but would appreciated comments<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">from those who study this area.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Are the words for Daddy/Papa etc.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">and Mummy/Maman etc. easier because there is no change of place of<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">articulation?<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>All thoughts on the topic most appreciated.</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">thanks</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Annette K-S</DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Jakobson (1942) already noticed this and had an analysis in terms of</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">feature-oppositions and hierarchy in learning steps due to neural control</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">of the articulation apparatus. Jakobson developed the thesis that the</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">hierarchy in language acquisition manifested itself as well in language</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">history, as in a downward movement in aphasia as in the spread of</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">typological features.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Jacqueline</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><A href="http://www.let.uu.nl/~Jacqueline.vanKampen/personal/">http://www.let.uu.nl/~Jacqueline.vanKampen/personal/</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Postal address:</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">UiL OTS</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Janskerkhof 13</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">3512 BL Utrecht</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The Netherlands</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">phone: +31 30-2536054</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">fax: +31 30-2536000<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Lise Menn Office: 303-492-1609</DIV><DIV>Linguistics Dept. Fax: 303-413-0017</DIV><DIV>295 UCB Hellems 293</DIV><DIV>University of Colorado</DIV><DIV>Boulder CO 80309-0295</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Professor of Linguistics, University of Colorado, University of Hunan</DIV><DIV>Secretary, AAAS Section Z [Linguistics]</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); ">Lise Menn's home page</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0017FF"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;; color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><A href="http://www.colorado.edu/linguistics/faculty/lmenn/">http://www.colorado.edu/linguistics/faculty/lmenn/</A></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><BR style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); ">"Shirley Says: Living with Aphasia"</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><BR style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0017FF"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;; color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><A href="http://spot.colorado.edu/~menn/Shirley4.pdf">http://spot.colorado.edu/~menn/Shirley4.pdf</A></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><BR style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); ">Japanese version of "Shirley Says"</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0017FF"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;; color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><A href="http://www.bayget.com/inpaku/kinen9.htm">http://www.bayget.com/inpaku/kinen9.htm</A></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><BR style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); ">Academy of Aphasia</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#006410"><BR style="color: rgb(0, 100, 16); "></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><FONT class="Apple-style-span" color="#0017FF"><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;; color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 23, 255); -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><A href="http://www.academyofaphasia.org">http://www.academyofaphasia.org</A>/</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>