How dialects and speaking influence word recognition in young children
Suzanne Van Der Feest, Ph.D.,
CUNY GC
Abstract: Online measures of word recognition such as eyetracking have revolutionized the way we understand phonological processing in young children. However, most work in this area has only tested listeners exposed to a single dialect of a single language. In this talk I will discuss the influence of natural exposure to multiple dialects - with different distributions of phonological contrasts - on toddler's online word recognition. Contrary to some earlier reports, we find no evidence that exposure to multiple language varieties has long-lasting detrimental effects on toddler's word recognition efficiency. In addition, we will explore the interpretation of different listener-oriented speaking styles (Clear Speech and Infant Directed Speech) by young children: findings from a word recognition experiment suggest that children rely on bottom-up (sensory) processing more heavily in word recognition of low-context sentences compared to adult listeners. For young children, speech clarity may be even more crucial for reliable word recognition. These combined findings have implications for our understanding of the development of phonological processing, as well as for clinical and educational settings.
ORGANIZERS
David C. Johnson, The Graduate Center and York College, CUNY
Dina Lipkind, The Graduate Center and York College, CUNY