You are at a local day care center and you hear three 12-month-old babies babbling; each baby is from a different racial/ethnic background (Asian, Hispanic, and Caucasian).The babbling of each of these infants:
A)will sound very similar, because maturation is the major determinant of language acquisition during the first year
B)will sound very different, with each child's babbles sounding quite similar to the parents' native language
C)will consist mainly of two-word phrases (telegraphic speech)
D)will consist mainly of vowel sounds, because consonant sounds don't usually emerge until 14 months of age

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Babbling is influenced by the language or languages that the infant is exposed to, so babies from different racial/ethnic backgrounds will have babbling that sounds similar to the languages spoken by their parents or caregivers. This is called phonetic convergence. Maturation is important for language acquisition, but it is not the only factor. Babies typically begin babbling with vowel sounds but rapidly begin to include consonant sounds as well, and simple two-word phrases typically do not emerge until after the 12-month mark.

You Are at a Local Day Care Center and You