Tongue-tied toddlers learn sign language to say the impossible

[Harold Schiffman]

 Forwarded From: edling at lists.sis.utsa.edu


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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