Sunday, November 22, 2009

Babies Cry In Their Own Language?

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - The wail of a newborn may sound the same to the ears of sleep-deprived parents the world over, but according to scientists, that's not the case: Babies cry in the language their parents speak from the first days of life.
An international team of researchers said a study of 60 newborns suggested babies start to learn language in the womb, long before they utter their first coos or babbles -- and their wails can be distinguished according to the mother tongue.
French newborns tend to cry with a rising melody contour, while their German neighbors prefer a falling melody shape -- patterns which the researchers said fit with characteristic differences between the two languages.

To read the rest of this interesting article go to http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5A43TA20091105

No comments:

Post a Comment