Task-appropriate input supports word–object association in 14-month-old female infants. Issue 2 (10th March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: FAIS, Laurel; VATIKIOTIS-BATESON, Eric
• Editors: Blom, Elma; Soderstrom, Melanie
• Is Part Of: Journal of child language. Volume 47:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 472
• Page End: 482
• Publication Date: 2020-03-10
• Subjects: word learning, -- infant-directed speech, -- task-appropriate communicative intent; Children -- Language -- Periodicals; 401.9305
• DOI: 10.1017/S0305000919000588
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-0009

Abstract

Abstract: Fourteen-month-old infants are unable to link minimal pair nonsense words with novel objects (Stager & Werker, 1997). Might an adult's productions in a word learning context support minimal pair word–object association in these infants? We recorded a mother interacting with her 24-month-old son, and with her 5-month-old son, producing nonsense words bin and din. We used these productions to determine if they had a differential effect on 14-month-old infants' word–object association abilities. Females hearing the words spoken to the older infant, but not those to the younger, succeeded. We suggest that the task-appropriateness of utterances can support infant word learning.