cover of episode How babies learn to talk

How babies learn to talk

2024/11/28
logo of podcast 6 Minute English

6 Minute English

Key Insights

What is the first step in babies learning to speak?

Babies must break down the speech stream into individual words and link those words to objects in their environment.

Why do babies sometimes make errors in word formation?

They often leave off unstressed syllables because they haven't yet learned to recognize stressed syllables in words.

At what age do babies typically start babbling?

Babies usually start babbling around six months old.

What is the second skill babies develop in learning to speak?

They learn to correctly link words to the objects they refer to, understanding what the words mean.

Why is it difficult for babies to understand what words refer to?

The speech signal is often ambiguous, with many possible meanings for a single word, making it hard for babies to determine the correct object.

Shownotes Transcript

What do babies need to learn to do to be able to talk?

TRANSCRIPT Find a full transcript and worksheet for this episode to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2024/ep-241128

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