Languagelearningbeginswithlistening
Childrenaregreatlydifferentintheamountoflisteningtheydobeforetheystartspeaking,andlaterstartersareoftenlonglisteners
Mostchildrenwill“obey”spokeninstructionssometimebeforetheycanspeak,thoughtheword“obey”ishardlyaccurateasadescriptionoftheeageranddelightedcooperationusuallyshownbythechild
Beforetheycanspeak,manychildrenwillalsoaskquestionsbygestureandbymakingquestioningnoises
Anyattempttostudythedevelopmentfromthenoisesbabiesmaketotheirfirstspokenwordsleadstoconsiderabledifficulties
Itisagreedthattheyenjoymakingnoises,andthatduringthefirstfewmonthsoneortwonoisessortthemselvesasparticularlyexpressiveasdelight,pain,friendliness,andsoon
Butsincethesecan’tbesaidtoshowthebaby’sintentiontocommunicate,theycanhardlyberegardedasearlyformsoflanguage
Itisagreed,too,