Keiko is an exchange student from Japan. Unlike other exchange students from Japan, she has no trouble with the English r and l sounds. This finding indicates that Keiko was likely exposed to these phonemes during what age?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The critical period for phoneme acquisition is between 0 to 12 months. During this time, infants are particularly receptive to differentiating sounds from all languages, including those not present in their native language environment. If Keiko was exposed to the English r and l sounds during this period, it would explain her proficiency with these phonemes, which are typically challenging for Japanese speakers due to their absence in the Japanese phonetic system.

Keiko Is an Exchange Student from Japan