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Similarity of babbling in Spanish- and English-learning babies*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

D. K. Oller  and
R. E. Eilers
D. K. Oller
Affiliation:
University of Miami
R. E. Eilers
Affiliation:
University of Miami
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Abstract

Infants from a variety of linguistic backgrounds have been reported to babble similarly. The present study considers this possibility in detail, offering a concrete characterization of how babbling of Spanish- and English-learning babies is similar. Babbling of a group of Spanish- and another of English-learning infants (12 months of age) was recorded and transcribed by two experimenters, one a primarily Spanish speaker and one a primarily English speaker. Results show that in spite of gross phonetic differences between the adult phonologies of Spanish and English, babies from both groups produce predominantly CV syllables with voiceless, unaspirated plosive consonants. Vowel production is also perceived as notably alike. In the light of such similarities, possible differences in babbling of the two groups may be hard for even sophisticated listeners to notice.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , October 1982 , pp. 565 - 577
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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Footnotes

[*]

Address for correspondence: D. K. Oller, Mailman Center for Child Development, University of Miami, P.O. Box 016820, D-820, Miami, FL 33101.

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