The intonation of mothers and children in early speech
This study set out to compare the use of intonation by mothers and their young children. The question of ways in which a mother might influence the development of her child's intonation is considered. Detailed analysis of maternal intonation enables an explanation to be offered of the diverse conclusions in the literature about how children use intonation in early speech. Two mother-child pairs were studied in free-play, over a combined age range of 15-28 months. Intonation forms were related to the functions of utterances for both mother and child and the mother's responses to her child's intonation forms were studied. An utterance function category system and an intonation form category system were devised to carry out the analyses. The mother's intonation was not found to be a constant and differentiated indicator of utterance function. It varied widely within functions though displaying a certain specificity of form use that was common to both mothers. The intonation of the children was found to closely match the mothers in use of form and it varied in the same manner in relation to utterance function. There was much similarity between the two children. Mothers did not respond to the intonation of the
Marwick, Helen Margaret
The intonation of mothers and children in early speech. This study set out to compare the use of intonation by mothers and their young children. The question of ways in which a mother might influence the development of her child's intonation is considered. Detailed analysis of maternal intonation enables an explanation to be offered of the diverse conclusions in the literature about how children use intonation in early speech. Two mother-child pairs were studied in free-play, over a combined age range of 15-28 months. Intonation forms were related to the functions of utterances for both mother and child and the mother's responses to her child's intonation forms were studied. An utterance function category system and an intonation form category system were devised to carry out the analyses. The mother's intonation was not found to be a constant and differentiated indicator of utterance function. It varied widely within functions though displaying a certain specificity of form use that was common to both mothers. The intonation of the children was found to closely match the mothers in use of form and it varied in the same manner in relation to utterance function. There was much similarity between the two children. Mothers did not respond to the intonation of the
intonation mother_child early speech study set compare use intonation mother young_child question way mother might_influence development child intonation consider detailed_analysis maternal intonation enables explanation_offer diverse conclusion literature child use intonation early speech mother_child pair study free_play combine age_range intonation form related function utterance mother_child mother response child intonation form study utterance function category system intonation form category system devise carry analysis mother intonation find constant differentiated indicator utterance function vary widely within function though display certain specificity form use common mother intonation child find closely match mother use form varied manner relation utterance function much similarity child respond intonation