Babies as young as four months old can detect patterns in how sounds are made, according to a new study published in Developmental Science on Tuesday. The finding overturns the traditional belief that infants only start learning language patterns between six and 12 months of age.
The research suggests that babies’ ability to connect sounds with visual cues begins much earlier than previously thought, offering new insights into early language development.
Researchers conducted an experiment with 34 babies aged four to six months. They created two artificial “mini-languages,” one using lip sounds such as “b” and “v” and the other using tongue-tip sounds including “d” and “z.” Each word, such as “bivawo” or “dizalo,” was paired with a cartoon image—a jellyfish for lip sounds and a crab for tongue-tip sounds. Babies listened to the words while viewing the corresponding images.
In the next phase, babies watched silent videos of a person’s face saying new words from the same mini-languages. Some videos matched the cartoon images they had learned, while others did not. Researchers tracked how long the babies looked at each video.
Babies looked longer at the videos that matched what they had learned, indicating they recognized the connection between the sounds and the visual cues.
This ability to link sound and sight at four months suggests babies are actively learning language patterns before they start focusing on their native language. The findings could help identify and support children at risk of speech or language delays earlier than previously possible.
The study also raises new questions. For instance, can babies detect other sound differences, like voicing, at four months? How does growing up in a bilingual environment affect this ability? Researchers aim to explore these questions to better understand how babies’ brains prepare for language learning.
By intervening earlier, parents and caregivers could potentially make a significant impact on a child’s language skills.