Date:  26.02.2004

Time:  19:15

Marilyn Vihman (Bangor):
The role of rhythm in early word learning: Perspectives from perception and production.

Additional information:
Abstract: Although hypotheses regarding the role of rhythm in early language development have sometimes been advanced based on studies of English alone (e.g., Allen & Hawkins, 1980, who identified a possible universal ‘trochaic bias’), cross-linguistic data are critical to verify any such proposals. This talk will draw evidence of the role of rhythm in early word learning from three types of study – experimental probes into early speech perception, acoustic analysis of early word production, and phonological analysis of early word forms. We will consider the effect of differing accentual patterns on early word form representation (English, French: 11 mos.). We will look at production patterns of children learning languages that are predominantly trochaic vs. iambic and that also differ in degrees of complexity of permitted syllable shapes (English, French, Welsh: 10-20 mos.). And we will compare the production of medial geminates in languages which lack long consonants (English, French), in a language with purely phonetic or ‘allo-accentual’ lengthening (Welsh), and in two languages with a phonological long:short medial contrast (Finnish, Japanese). Finally we will consider differences in the shapes of early word templates in children acquiring each of these languages.