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From Syllables to Sentences
How Toddlers Learn Language
By Teri Brown
Babies are neurologically wired to talk; you might even say they are born to talk. According to Dr. Bradway, while toddlers have an inborn drive to speak, the actual words they learn to say must be taught by the parent.
"Parents naturally teach their child to talk by using baby talk with them," Dr. Bradway says. "Baby talk refers to standard vocabulary words that have been modified by grownups to make them easier for Baby to say. They contain easier sounds, shorter syllables and lots of repetition. For example, the baby talk word for stomach [could be] 'tum-tum'; for goodnight, 'nightie-night'; for train, 'choo-choo'; and so on."
In addition to using different words with babies, it's natural for adults to slow their pace, simplify sentence structure and singsong their words. When a baby is in the room, adults naturally pitch their voice higher. This is an instinctive way of communicating with babies, and it makes learning to talk fun for grownups and babies alike.
"Baby talk is a variation of adult language, invented by adults and passed on to each generation of babies, its sole purpose being to teach children to talk," Dr. Bradway says.
Peter Farb, a linguist and anthropologist, researched the vocabulay of six very different languages – English and Spanish, two Asian languages, Comanche and the language of a small, non-literate community in Siberia. What he discovered was that every one of these languages had a baby talk vocabulary. While the actual words differed, the themes were similar.
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