Question

During which stage of language development do babies make many more sounds than they hear in their native languages? a. babbling b. cooing c. one-word utterances d. telegraphic speech

Short answer

Babbling stage (option a).

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Stages of Language Development

Let's first understand the different stages of language development in infants. Babies typically go through several stages of language learning: 1. **Cooing**: Happens around 2 months when babies make vowel-like sounds. 2. **Babbling**: Begins around 4-6 months with repeated consonant-vowel combinations (e.g., "bababa"), which include sounds from many languages, not just the native tongue. 3. **One-word utterances**: Around 10 to 15 months, where they start using single words. 4. **Telegraphic speech**: Occurs around 18-24 months, where two or more words are combined into mini-sentences.

Analyze Each Option

Knowing the stages helps us assess the options: - **Cooing (b)**: At this stage, babies primarily make vowel sounds and are beginning to use their vocal cords but not significantly interacting with varied sounds. - **Babbling (a)**: This is when infants experiment with sounds, often more numerous and varied than those in their native language. - **One-word utterances (c)**: The focus is on functional words and communication rather than sound variety. - **Telegraphic speech (d)**: This stage is about forming basic sentences using minimal words for meaning, with less focus on sound variety.

Determine the Correct Stage

Based on the characteristics, babbling (option a) is when infants produce a variety of sounds from different languages. This stage has the broadest range of sounds which diminishes as language specialization occurs.

Conclusion

The stage at which babies make many more sounds than those present in their native language is during the babbling phase. Hence, the correct answer is option a: babbling.

Key concepts

Cooing Stage

When infants are around two months old, they enter the cooing stage. During this period, babies begin to exercise their vocal cords by making simple, vowel-like sounds. These early vocalizations include sounds like "oo" and "ah," which are soft and melodic.
The cooing stage is important for several reasons:

• It helps infants develop control over their vocal apparatus.
• It lays the groundwork for more complex sound production that will occur later.
• At this stage, babies are often responding to the comforting voices of parents and caregivers.

The interaction between parents and infants during cooing is crucial for language development, as it encourages babies to respond vocally and build the foundation for future communication.

Babbling Stage

Between four to six months, infants transition into the babbling stage. This is a vibrant time in language development where babies start to produce a wider array of sounds. Unlike cooing, babbling involves repeated consonant-vowel combinations like "bababa" or "dadada."
Babbling serves several purposes:

• It marks the start of speech experimentation as babies play with sound patterns.
• Infants produce sounds from languages they are not exposed to, showing their innate potential for language acquisition.
• This stage is crucial as it provides clues to parents and caregivers about the burgeoning speech capabilities of their child.

This stage fosters auditory learning as infants listen to, and attempt to mimic, the speech of those around them.

One-Word Utterances

Approximately between 10 to 15 months of age, many infants reach the stage of one-word utterances. Here, babies begin to use distinct words to convey meaning. Their vocabulary might start with words like "mama," "dada," or "ball."
Key aspects of this stage include:

• Each word represents a whole sentence's meaning, like saying "milk" to mean "I want milk."
• Infants focus on the most important part of their messages, hence simplifying communication.
• This stage reflects the child's growing desire to label the world around them and communicate their needs.

Parents can support this stage by consistently naming objects and actions in the baby's environment, reinforcing their understanding and use of words.

Telegraphic Speech

The telegraphic speech stage, starting around 18 to 24 months, is when toddlers start combining two or more words into simple sentences, like "more juice" or "my toy." This stage is akin to sending a telegram, where only the essential words are used.
Important features of telegraphic speech include:

• Children now understand basic grammar rules intuitively, even if not explicitly.
• The focus is on efficiency and clarity of communication.
• At this stage, toddlers convey more complex thoughts and requests.

During this stage, interaction with adults helps refine speech. Encouraging conversations, even in broken sentences, can foster language skills and boost confidence in communication.