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Not speaking the same language: 17-month-olds shift their perception of novel labels following brief exposure to non-native language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2018

Valerie SAN JUAN ,
Carol LIN ,
Heather MACKENZIE ,
Suzanne CURTIN  and
Susan A. GRAHAM
Valerie SAN JUAN*
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
Carol LIN
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
Heather MACKENZIE
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Suzanne CURTIN
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
Susan A. GRAHAM
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
*
*Corresponding author. V. San Juan, Dept. of Psychology, Bradley University, Peoria, IL, 61625, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

We examined if and when English-learning 17-month-olds would accommodate Japanese forms as labels for novel objects. In Experiment 1, infants (n = 22) who were habituated to Japanese word–object pairs looked longer at switched test pairs than familiar test pairs, suggesting that they had mapped Japanese word forms to objects. In Experiments 2 (n = 44) and 3 (n = 22), infants were presented with a spoken passage prior to habituation to assess whether experience with a different language would shift their perception of Japanese word forms. Here, infants did not demonstrate learning of Japanese word–object pairs. These findings offer insight into the flexibility of the developing perceptual system. That is, when there is no evidence to the contrary, 17-month-olds will accommodate forms that vary from their typical input but will efficiently constrain their perception when cued to the fact that they are not listening to their native language.

Keywords

word learningphonetic variabilitylanguage exposure
Type
Brief Research Reports
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 46 , Issue 3 , May 2019 , pp. 594 - 605
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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