The Discovery of Spoken Language (Language, Speech, and Communication) [Paperback]

Peter W. Jusczyk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262600366 | ISBN-13: 978-0262600361 | Publication Date: July 31, 2000

Speech carries information about the structure and organization of language. Yet, speech is normally produced as a continuous stream without clearly demarcated boundaries between words. A fundamental problem for any language learner is to segment speech in a way that correctly identifies the words of the language. This is a crucial step toward building a lexicon and learning about the grammatical organization of the language.The Discovery of Spoken Language marks one of the first efforts to integrate the field of infant speech perception research into the general study of language acquisition. It fills in a key part of the acquisition story by providing an extensive review of research on the acquisition of language during the first year of life, focusing primarily on how normally developing infants learn the organization of native language sound patterns.Peter Jusczyk examines the initial capacities that infants possess for discriminating and categorizing speech sounds and how these capacities evolve as infants gain experience with native language input. Considerable attention is paid to ways speech perception capacities develop so that listeners can recognize words in fluent speech. Jusczyk also looks at how infants' growing knowledge of native language sound patterns may facilitate the acquisition of other aspects of language organization and discusses the relationship between the learner's developing capacities for perceiving and producing speech. An appendix reviews the test procedures used to evaluate infant speech perception capacities.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book presents an excellent overview of the field and will certainly serve as an important source of reference for speech perception and language acquisition researchers. At the same time, it contains many fascinating theoretical insights into the operation of basic principles of development that have the potential to inspire future research within and beyond the area of speech perception." Vera Kempe, Contemporary Psychology

"This is a remarkable and important book. Jusczyk hascomposed a fine portrait of the infant listener and themany attempts to describe the beginnings of language. Thescope is comprehensive, and he has told the tale withrare style." Robert E. Remez, Professor of Psychology, Barnard College

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: A Bradford Book (July 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262600366
• ISBN-13: 978-0262600361
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,970,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Former Student's Review, November 18, 2003

By 

Ms E. Jones (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Discovery of Spoken Language (Language, Speech, and Communication) (Hardcover)

I was a student in Dr. Jusczyk's class at Johns Hopkins a few years ago (fall of '98 I believe). He was a wonderful professor and taught one of the most challenging psychology courses, and he used his book (Discovery of Spoken Language) for the class. After that class, I remember seeing him on CNN discussing infants and language development, and I was just so impressed especially after having taken his class. Plus, he was so easy to approach and such a nice person. He wrote me a recommedation for a graduate program my senior year.

I was just sitting here crying when I found out that he died 2 years ago. I was just shocked. Tonight I just decided to search his name online and see if he had done any more CNN specials because every now and then I bring up his name in my graduate program when the issue of language development comes up. I always feel the urge to ask "Have you seen or read Peter Jusczyk's work?" Tonight I read that he had died unexpectedly in August of 2001.

I wrote Dr. Jusczyk an email once that said that I hope I find a career that I love as much as he loved his. You could just see how much he truly loved his work. My condolences to all of his loved ones.