The role of prosodic input in word learning: A cross-linguistic investigation of Dutch and Mandarin Chinese infant-directed speech

When talking to children, mothers around the world use infant-directed speech (IDS), a speaking style characterized by exaggerated prosody as compared to adult-directed speech (ADS). This dissertation investigates the role of prosodic input in children’s word learning by focusing on IDS in word-learning contexts in which mothers introduce unfamiliar words to their children. This research took a cross-linguistic approach to examine IDS in two typologically distinct languages: Dutch and Mandarin Chinese. A semi-spontaneous storybook-telling task was used to elicit both ADS and IDS from mothers.... Mehr ...