Mothers' exaggerated pronunciation in infant-directed speech is strongly associated with
A) mild language delays in toddlerhood.
B) advanced false-belief understanding in preschoolers.
C) 6- to 12-month-olds' increasing sensitivity to the phonemic categories of foreign languages.
D) 6- to 12-month-olds' increasing sensitivity to the phonemic categories of their native language.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mothers' exaggerated pronunciation in infant-directed speech, also known as "motherese," has been found to help infants in developing sensitivity to the phonemic categories of their native language. This helps infants to distinguish between sounds that are important for understanding and producing language. Studies have shown that infants who are exposed to more motherese show stronger language development later on. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Mothers' Exaggerated Pronunciation in Infant-Directed Speech Is Strongly Associated with