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Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

theguardian.com

11–20 of 93 posts

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#11
post #3

Personal recommendations are: * Elmo’s Song * Feist’s Sesame Street version of 1-2-3-4

"I love the mountains I loved the rolling hills.

"I love the flowers I love the daffodils.

"I love the fire side when all the lights are low.

"Boom dee Yada boom dee Yada boom."

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#12
post #11
post #3

Personal recommendations are: * Elmo’s Song * Feist’s Sesame Street version of 1-2-3-4

"I love the mountains I loved the rolling hills. "I love the flowers I love the daffodils. "I love the fire side when all the lights are low. "Boom dee Yada boom dee Yada boom."

My sisters and I always loved playing the duet of this song on piano.

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#13
I just sang, sang, sang anything that came to my mind. About mountains, clouds, courage, poo… It was just love pouring out of my heart, and I don’t know if it had something to do with it, but my kid started talking very early on and very well.

The best thing is was that I got to know him very soon, while my peers and their daughters/sons still were kind of communicating.

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#14
post #13

I just sang, sang, sang anything that came to my mind. About mountains, clouds, courage, poo… It was just love pouring out of my heart, and I don’t know if it had something to do with it, but my kid started talking very early on and very well. The best thing is was that I got to know him very soon, while my peers and their daughters/sons still were kind of communicating.

According to the article it would seem to be a matter of just throwing in as much variety of tone, inflection, and articulation as you can manage. The don't understand what you're saying anyway.

My career as a singer-to-babies was heavy on the Broadway tunes. "On the Street Where You Live" was big.

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#17
post #15

Or not. I can sing but all my kids hated it. On the other hand, I always spoke to them using non-baby language, humor, and mannerisms, and they turned out to be incredibly good communicators.

Or maybe the scientists who specialize in child development and linguistics know something you don’t

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#19
post #17
post #15

Or not. I can sing but all my kids hated it. On the other hand, I always spoke to them using non-baby language, humor, and mannerisms, and they turned out to be incredibly good communicators.

Or maybe the scientists who specialize in child development and linguistics know something you don’t

Zany thought! I’m deeply offended you weren’t immediately convinced by my single piece of anecdotal data ;)

Re: Infants understand language via rhythm and tone rather than individual sounds

#20
post #14
post #13

I just sang, sang, sang anything that came to my mind. About mountains, clouds, courage, poo… It was just love pouring out of my heart, and I don’t know if it had something to do with it, but my kid started talking very early on and very well. The best thing is was that I got to know him very soon, while my peers and their daughters/sons still were kind of communicating.

According to the article it would seem to be a matter of just throwing in as much variety of tone, inflection, and articulation as you can manage. The don't understand what you're saying anyway. My career as a singer-to-babies was heavy on the Broadway tunes. "On the Street Where You Live" was big.

There is something magical about hearing a toddler mumble out an entire verse of Fly Me To The Moon or Autumn Leaves
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