Read It by Yourself
It is, everyone agrees, a huge task the child performs when he learns to speak, and the fact that he does so in so short a period of time challenges explanation.
Language learning begins with listening. Individual children vary greatly in the amount of listening they do before they start speaking, and late starters are often long listeners. Most children will 「obey」 spoken instructions some time before they can speak though the word 「obey」 is hardly accurate as a description of the eager and delighted cooperation usually shown by the child. Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions by gesture and by making questioning noises.
Any attempt to trace the development from the noises babies make to their first spoken words leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that during the first few months one or two noises sort themselves out as particularly indicative of delight, distress, sociability and so on. But since these cannot be said to show the baby’s intention to communicate they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that from about three months they play with sounds for enjoyment, and that by six months they are able to add new sounds to their repertoire. This self-imitation leads on to deliberate imitation of sounds made or word spoken to them by other people. The problem then arises as to the point at which one can say that these imitations can be considered as speech.
Assisted Reading
It is, everyone agrees, a huge task the child performs // when he learns to speak, and the fact that he does so (in so short a period of time) challenges explanation.
Language learning begins with listening. Individual children vary greatly (in the amount of listening) they do // before they start speaking, and late starters are often long listeners. Most children will 「obey」 spoken instructions some time before they can speak // though the word 「obey」 is hardly accurate (as a description of the eager and delighted cooperation (usually shown by the child)). Before they can speak, many children will also ask questions (by gesture and by making questioning noises).
Any attempt (to trace the development (from the noises babies make to their first spoken words)) leads to considerable difficulties. It is agreed that they enjoy making noises, and that (during the first few months) one or two noises sort themselves out as particularly indicative of delight, distress, sociability and so on. But since these cannot be said to show the baby』s intention to communicate they can hardly be regarded as early forms of language. It is agreed, too, that (from about three months) they play with sounds (for enjoyment), and that (by six months) they are able to add new sounds to their repertoire. This self-imitation leads on to deliberate imitation of sounds (made) or words (spoken to them (by other people)). The problem then arises as to the point at which one can say [that these imitations can be considered as speech].
Useful Phrases and Sentence Patterns:
learn to do sth.
in a short period of time
begin with sth.
vary greatly in
the amount of
start doing
obey instructions
some time
ask questions
make noises
from ... to ...
lead to sth.
It is agreed that ...
enjoy doing
during the first few months
sort sb. out
and so on
be regarded as
It is agreed that ...
play with sth.
be able to do
add ... to ...
as to
be considered as