Does the child begin to learn his native language before his birth?

The researchers suggest that children can hear differences in language one month before their birth.

Study of American scientists

The work of scientists from Kansas University, the results of which were published in the journal NeuroReport, suggested the study of the fruits of two dozen mothers who were eight months pregnant. To do this, scientists used a magnetocardiogram (MCG). This technology allows you to measure the magnetic fields created by the electrical activity of the heart.

To begin with, scientists made two entries - in English and Japanese - that were consistently reproduced for the fruit during the study. Scientists have chosen these languages, because they are quite different in rhythm.

results

Using MCG, the team found that the fetal heart rate increased when he heard a language they did not know (Japanese). When the record was reproduced in English (native to pregnant women), the heart rhythm of the fetus did not change.

"Our results show that the development of language in fact can occur even before birth," said lead author of the study, Yutako Minai, in his statement. - Embryos are tuned to a language that they will use later, even before their birth, based on the speech signals available to them in the womb. The sensitivity of the fetus to changes in the rhythm of the tongue can be one of the first building blocks in the development of speech. "

Ideas about the development of language

In previous studies, scientists found that the onset of language development can occur only a few days after birth. The scientists were able to prove the sensitivity of the kids to the differences in the rhythm between the languages, controlling how they react to them, for example, they begin to suck the nipple more intensively.

In another previous study, the recognition of embryonic language was studied, but ultrasound was used for this. In addition, the study involved two people speaking different languages. That is why scientists were unable to determine whether the child reacts to another person or to another language. The magnetocardiogram used in the latter study is also more sensitive to heart changes than ultrasound.

According to Minaia, the sound that the fetus hears in the womb can hardly be called clear and concise, but the change in rhythm can be felt. The scientist believes that these conclusions are extremely interesting for fundamental scientific studies of the language.