Fetuses Learn Language In Utero

Be careful what you say to a pregnant lady.

Researchers from Pacific Lutheran University in Washington State have found that infants show interest in the vowels of their native language only hours after being born.

The study relied on data from 40 infants in the US and another 40 in Sweden, all ranging from seven to 75 hours old. Newborns were tested on two sets of vowel sounds — 17 native language sounds and 17 foreign sounds. Researchers measured the babies’ interest by how long they sucked a pacifier connected to a computer.

When babies sucked on the pacifier, they heard a vowel sound until they paused. Sucking again produced a new sound.

In both countries, babies listening to foreign sounds sucked pacifiers more compared to those listening to their native tongue.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.