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Developmental Neurocognition: Speech and Face Processing in the First Year of Life pp 275–288Cite as

The Ontogeny and Developmental Significance of Language-Specific Phonetic Perception

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Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 69))

Abstract

This chapter compares recent findings on non-native vowel perception to previous research on non-native consonant discrimination. Previous research examining discrimination on non-native consonant contrasts revealed reliable and replicable influences from the native language by 10–12 months, but recent research on vowel perception has revealed an effect of specific language experience by 6-months of age as revealed in a language-specific perceptual magnet effect. The similarities and differences between these two bodies of research are considered, and recent data from our lab that allows a synthesis of the two is presented. These data confirm the influence from the native language on vowel perception by 6-months of age, but show that further changes occur during the second half of the first year of life. Additional questions raised by these new findings are posed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Janet F. Werker

  2. Human Communication Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1A8, Canada

    Linda Polka

Authors
  1. Janet F. Werker
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  2. Linda Polka
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Psychology Laboratory, E.H.E.S.S. and C.N.R.S., Paris, France

    Bénédicte de Boysson-Bardies

  2. Development and Cognition Unit, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, C.N.R.S., Marseille, France

    Scania de Schonen

  3. Psychology Department, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Peter Jusczyk

  4. Department of Linguistics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA

    Peter McNeilage

  5. Cognitive Development Unit, MRC, London, UK

    John Morton

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© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Werker, J.F., Polka, L. (1993). The Ontogeny and Developmental Significance of Language-Specific Phonetic Perception. In: de Boysson-Bardies, B., de Schonen, S., Jusczyk, P., McNeilage, P., Morton, J. (eds) Developmental Neurocognition: Speech and Face Processing in the First Year of Life. NATO ASI Series, vol 69. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8234-6_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8234-6_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4251-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-015-8234-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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