The Language Learning Infant: Effects of Speech Input, Vocal Output, and Feedback

................................................................................................................... vi List of studies .......................................................................................................... vii Other publications by the author ........................................................................... ix Introduction ............................................................................................................. 14 Speech communication ......................................................................................... 14 Language acquisition ....................................................................................... 16 Methodological issues ...................................................................................... 17 Modeling information processing .................................................................... 18 The present studies ............................................................................................... 19 1 The language learning infant: Speech input ................................................ 21 Signal characteristics and speech processing ................................................... 21 Early speech processing ................................................................................... 22 IDS Infant-Directed Speech ........................................................................... 24 Fundamental frequency................................................................................ 25 Fundamental frequency in IDS ................................................................ 26 Implicit structure .......................................................................................... 26 1.1 Focal accent and target word position infants ...................................... 30 1.1.1 Method ................................................................................................ 31 The Visual Preference Procedure ................................................................. 31 Speech material ............................................................................................ 33 Visual material ............................................................................................. 34 Subjects ........................................................................................................ 36 Procedure ..................................................................................................... 36 1.1.2 Results ................................................................................................. 37 1.1.3 Discussion ........................................................................................... 37 1.2 Focal accent and target word position adults ....................................... 40 1.2.1 Method ................................................................................................ 40 Speech material ............................................................................................ 41 Rotated speech ......................................................................................... 41 Target word and focal accent combinations ................................................ 42 Visual material ............................................................................................. 42 Subjects ........................................................................................................ 43 Procedure ..................................................................................................... 43