Speech Perception

A. Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning

Learning - the conscious process of accumulating knowledge (Yule
289).
Acquisition - the gradual development of ability in a first or second
language by using it naturally in communicative situations (Yule 282).
B. The Acquisition Schedule
1. Cooing

2. Babbling

- Production of
vowel-like sounds,
particularly high
vowels similar to [i]
and [u]
- The developing
ability to bring the
back of the tongue
into regular contact
with the back of the
palate allows the
infant to create
sounds similar to
the velar
consonants [k] and
[]
-producing a
number of different
vowels and
consonants, as well
as combinations
such as ba-ba-ba
and ga-ga-ga
- vowel
combinations being
produced, as well as
variation in the
combinations such
as ba-ba-da-da
- Nasal sounds also
become more
common and certain
syllable sequences
such as ma-ma-ma
and da-da-da are

First few months

By 4 months

Between 6-8
months

Between 9-10
months

inevitably
interpreted by
parents as versions
of mama and
dada and
repeated back to
the child.

3. The One
Word Stage

4. The Two
Word Stage

5. The
Telegraphic
Stage

- the late babbling

stage is
characterized by
more complex
syllable
combinations (mada-ga-ba), a lot of
sound-play and
attempted
imitations.
- single terms are
uttered for everyday
objects such as
milk, cookie,
cat, cup and
spoon
-holophrastic a
single form
functioning as a
phrase or sentence
-Use of a variety of
combinations of
words. (e.g. baby
chair, mommy eat,
cat bad)
- Strings of words
(lexical morphemes)
in phrases or
sentences (e.g. this
shoe all wet, cat
drink milk and
daddy go bye-bye.)

Between 12 18
months

Between 18 20
months

Between two and

two- and- a-half
years