Linguistic Experience Alters Phonetic Perception in Infants by 6 Months of Age

Overview

Journal Science

Specialty Science

Date 1992 Jan 31

PMID 1736364

Citations 310

Authors

P K Kuhl

K A Williams

F Lacerda

K N Stevens

B Lindblom

Affiliations

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Abstract

Linguistic experience affects phonetic perception. However, the critical period during which experience affects perception and the mechanism responsible for these effects are unknown. This study of 6-month-old infants from two countries, the United States and Sweden, shows that exposure to a specific language in the first half year of life alters infants' phonetic perception.

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