Tongue-tied toddlers learn sign language to say the impossible

[Francis Hult]

AFP

 

Tongue-tied toddlers learn sign language to say the impossible

 

Babies who have mastered gurgling, but can't quite handle words yet can learn a baby version of sign language to tell mom and dad whether they want to eat, play or be lulled into sweet sleep.

 

"Przepraszam" (excuse me), "sprzatamy" (cleaning up) ou "kurczaczek" (chick), are practical words to know but impossible to pronounce for one-year-olds, even if they are Polish.

 

"Babies aren't ready to speak. In order to utter words you need teeth," Danuta Mikulska, 31, a linguist specializing in sign language told AFP. "Their muscles and vocal chords are insufficiently developed, but they are able to make hand gestures."

 

Full story:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gOOZ99PEWzL23LkkvLFEJtqEzVzA

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