Name: The linguistic genius of babies
Uploaded: 2011-02-15T18:40:58Z
Duration: 10 min
Description: Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another -- by listening to the humans around them and "taking statistics" on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world.

Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another -- by listening to the humans around them and "taking statistics" on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world.

Patricia Kuhl: The linguistic genius of babies

The linguistic genius of babies

Exposure to a new language in early life shapes the brain, proving the critical importance of the environment in learning.

Babies, the original linguists, discern all global language sounds before their first birthday, shaping linguistic futures.

Exposure to language in infancy crucially tailors the brain's reception to native linguistics, defining future communication skills.