Babies Begin Learning Language In the Womb

Hugh Pickens writes "Science Daily reports findings from a new study which suggest that infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb, long before their first babble or coo, and are able to memorize sounds from the external world by the last trimester of pregnancy, with a particular sensitivity to melody contour in both music and language. Newborns prefer their mother's voice over other voices and perceive the emotional content of messages conveyed via intonation contours in maternal speech (a.k.a. 'motherese'). 'The dramatic finding of this study is that not only are human neonates capable of producing different cry melodies, but they prefer to produce those melody patterns that are typical for the ambient language they have heard during their fetal life, within the last trimester of gestation,' said Kathleen Wermke of the University of Würzburg in Germany. Wermke's team recorded and analyzed the cries of 60 healthy newborns, 30 born into French-speaking families and 30 born into German-speaking families, when they were three to five days old. The recordings of 2,500 cries as mothers changed babies' diapers, readied babies for feeding or otherwise interacted with the youngsters show an extremely early impact of native language, with analysis revealing clear differences in the shape of the newborns' cry melodies, based on their mother tongue."

Comments

So... when?

[Jhon]

infants begin picking up elements of what will be their first language in the womb

When is it human? When is it a person? How early is "abortion" ok?

Hate to be "off topic", but that line above really sparked the question.

Re:So... when?

[NeutronCowboy]

Correct. So, do you want the US to be like the various Islamic countries that lead on this front? Just checking, because that has a number of implications on other fronts.

Re:So... when?

[Sebilrazen]

Is your signature true?

If so, honestly, I think you're the first Dittohead that I've read about that can come to a logical conclusion. You're so rare you're like the white buffalo.

Re:So... when?

[arminw]

...Killing cancer by poisoning....
I had in mind more than the removal of cancer by surgery and making sure every last cancer cell was gone. If the cancer has metastasized, surgery can no longer reach those cancer cells, but yet somehow, they must be killed. Sin is like a cancer in the human spirit and we are all without a single exception infected by it.

(...Sin is a poor excuse for the troubles that plague humanity...)
Unfortunately you are wrong. Sin is the cause of every trouble every person on this planet ever has had and will have, culminating in death. Contrary to the belief of many, death is not extinction of being, but merely a separation. The first separation occurs at physical death, where the spirit or soul is separated from the body. All humans are subject to this, including you and I. The second separation, what the Bible refers to as the second death, occurs when the spirit or soul or separated forever from God.

Right now, good and evil exist side-by-side and will continue to do so until Judgment Day. After that, there will be a place where only evil exists and another place where there is only good. These places are commonly referred to as hell and heaven.

(...If people truly cared about each other...)

Yes of course that is true, but the sin of selfishness in every one of us prevents that. Jesus Christ alone is the cure for sin. Jesus said that a man must be born-again. Everyone who was only born once will die twice but he who is born twice, once in the body and once in spirit, will only die once. A true Christian, one who has been born again, is given the desire and the ability to not sin. That doesn't mean such a person achieve sinless perfection, but truly in their heart desires to please God by not sinning. You can read about what Jesus had to say on the subject in the third chapter of John.

The key is to believe what God says and then out of that belief, like for example a mother Theresa, live a life of service for God and man.

Re:Isn't this child abuse?

[joocemann]

John Kerry actually looks kinda french.

Freedom Haters!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDq8bEjhs7Q

And another important point!

[sgt_doom]

Not only is Kathleen Wermke a hot babe goddess, but speaking of the University of Wurzburg, has anyone ever tried making a pancake batch or waffle batch using Wurzburger Dark beer?

Really makes for a great breakfast!!!!!!