first words

[Marilyn Vihman]

>Two quick comments: First, the CV syllables used by babies are 
>essentially universally preferred and this fact is represented in 
>the two parade-case constraints from optimality theory: "Onset" and 
>"No Coda". Onset may be weaker than no coda -- this is supported by 
>cases like aba from semitic languages (see text below!).
>
>Second comment is that b is the most frequent onset in monomorphemic 
>English monosyllables, based on CELEX. b, p, and m are the most 
>frequent voiced stop, unvoiced stop, and nasal onsets respectively 
>(that is b > d or g, p > t or k, m > n; there is no onset velar 
>nasal). Not clear why we have dada and papa but not baba in English 
>(do young children contrastively control b and p well? Maybe baba vs 
>papa are in the ear of the behearer?), or maybe that is taken for 
>'baby'? In french we have the full set: maman, papa, and be'be' 
>(excuse my weak rendition of the accent aigue!).

Just in answer to this bit, Jay - children do NOT contrastively 
control voiceless/voiced (or voice onset time, more specifically) in 
the usual first word period: See Macken, 1980, in Yeni-komshian et 
al., Child Phonology, who discusses the work on stop production, esp. 
in English and Spanish - but I havne't seen any studies giving 
evidence of such a distinction at 12-18 mos.

As for 'onset', you're right: In many languages VCV is an extremely 
common early word pattern, with even stops being omitted 
word-initially. I think this is a reflection of the accentual 
pattern: if stress is not word initial (as in most English words), or 
there are geminate consonants, the first syllable is less salient and 
the onset C is too.

Finally, in reposne to the long question from Deborah Gibson - and 
also Brian's speculative comments on first words - Lorraine McCune 
and I have a 1994 JChLg paper that provides criteria for identifying 
first words, using both form and meaning and also parental id and 
frequency of occurrence in a recording session and range of use. For 
identifying early words we do not expect a close relationship with 
the adult form OR meaning, but there are criteria that can be used - 
and we like to think of it as a dialogue between two observers rather 
than hard science...These criteria are also reprinted in my book 
(1996, Blackwell).

I wouldn't get too excited aobut accidental occurrences of sporadic 
adult-sounding vocalisations produced by pre-canonical infants! It's 
not that different from sound change: If Northern Pomo /ma:/ and 
Estonian /ma:/ both mean 'ground, land',do we jump to the conclusion 
that this N. Calif. language and that Finno-Ugric language must be 
related historically...?

-marilyn

>
>More speculatively, I think it's been suggested that young children 
>have trouble gaining control of liquids and fricatives which may 
>require finer control for correct articulation (perhaps this was 
>part of Jacobson's speculations?) Liquids are used frequently in 
>onsets by adults but not apparently by babies.
>-- Jay McClelland
>
>---------------
>http://www.path-light.com/IAM11.htm
>
>/ Abba i/s an Aramaic word, found in Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 
>4:6. In the Gemara (a Rabbinical commentary on the Mishna, the 
>traditional teaching of the Jews) it is stated that slaves were 
>forbidden to address the head of the family by this title. It 
>approximates to a personal name, in contrast to "Father," with which 
>it is always joined in the NT. This is probably due to the fact 
>that, abba having practically become a proper name, Greek-speaking 
>Jews added the Greek word pater, "father," from the language they 
>used. Abba is the word framed by the lips of infants, and betokens 
>unreasoning trust; "father" expresses an intelligent apprehension of 
>the relationship. The two together express the love and intelligent 
>confidence of the child (Vine's).
>
>-----------------
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abba
>
>*Abba* (or *Aba*) means "father 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father>" in most Semitic languages 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic_languages>. The Syriac 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriac> or Chaldee version of the word 
>is found three times in the New Testament 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament> (Mark 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Mark> 14:36; Romans 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Romans> 8:15; Galatians 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatians> 4:6), and in each case is 
>followed by its Greek <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language> 
>equivalent, which is translated "father." It is a term expressing 
>warm affection and filial confidence. It has no perfect equivalent 
>in the English language. It has passed into European languages as an 
>ecclesiastical term, "abbot." See Abba in the New Testament 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaic_of_Jesus#Abba_.28.CE.91.CE.B2.CE.B2.CE.B1.29>. 
>Most modern Israelis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel> (along 
>with other semitic-speaking peoples) call their fathers /*Abba*/ as 
>one would use "Dad <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father>" or "Daddy 
><http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy>" in English. Unfortunately this 
>translation also falls far short of the original meaning.


-- 

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   Marilyn M. Vihman		       |
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