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Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Maybe universal understanding is the reason Spoon (the band) labeled their new album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga." Research suggests that "baby talk" is recognizable to almost everyone, regardless of their native language. Even monkeys use it.
A new study suggests that people of different cultures recognize baby talk, even if they speak a different language.
The results showed indigenous Shuar speakers who had also been taught Spanish in a remote Ecuadoran village were able to distinguish English baby-directed talk from normal adult-directed talk three-fourths of the time. They were also able to determine the tone of the conversation, such as disapproval or comfort, with greater ease when baby talk was spoken.
Researchers Greg Bryant and Clark Barrett, of University of California, Los Angeles, say the findings show that the relationship between sounds and intentions is universal because much of the meaning of language is communicated through nonverbal cues, such as pitch, loudness, and rate of speech. (Via link) (ELHAM)
August 27, 2007
