A morpheme is the smallest unit of a word that can carry meaning. You might think that’s the same as a word, but there are even smaller bits that you know the meaning of, maybe without realizing it. Think about the following words: unlock, untie, unwrap, unwind, unwind, unstick. What does that little piece un- […]
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Babies on their home turf: using observational methods to study development
How do scientists learn what babies know? Babies learn language from the language (or languages) they experience in the world around them. But what is early language experience actually like for babies? Observational methods can give us a glimpse into children’s everyday lives – what they hear, see, and say. One approach uses naturalistic recordings […]
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[f] for Phoneme: the units of speech sounds
Phonemes are the building blocks of words. A phoneme is a speech sound that can distinguish one word from another in a particular language. They are like little categories in your brain! You sort acoustic sounds into phonemes when you say something or hear someone speak. Not all instances of a phoneme sound exactly the […]
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What is a Speech Language Pathologist?
A speech language pathologist (SLP) is a specialist in speech and language. SLPs often diagnose and treat speech and language delays and disorders, but may also work on swallowing disorders. They may work in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or private clinics. To become a speech language pathologist in the United States, you must complete a […]
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What is an Otolaryngologist?
Otolaryngologists are medical doctors for the Ear, Nose, and Throat. Sometimes, otolaryngologists are called ENTs. They are trained in medicine and surgery, and can provide surgical interventions for hearing loss such as bone-anchored hearing aids or cochlear implants, treatment for disorders of the voice box (larynx), and treatment for other physical issues with the ear […]
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What is Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss or hearing impairment is a reduced ability to hear sounds or speech. This may be due to a problem with the ears, nerves, or the part of the brain that processes sound. (Read more about how hearing works here!) Hearing loss may be temporary. You may experience temporary hearing loss when you […]
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What is an Audiologist?
Audiologists treat ear disorders. An audiologist is a licensed medical professional trained in preventing, diagnosing, and treating hearing and balance disorders. They perform hearing screenings, diagnose hearing loss, and fit and calibrate hearing aids. Audiologists may work with children or adults in schools, hospitals, or private clinics. To become an audiologist in the United States, […]
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What Are Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants?
Both hearing devices help people hear. Some individuals with hearing loss use amplification devices to hear the sounds in their environment. Two main types of amplification devices are hearing aids and cochlear implants. Quick note at the outset: whether or not to get a hearing aid or cochlear implants is a complicated decision that is best to discuss with an […]
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How Does Hearing Work?
Hearing works by converting sound into signals to the brain. To begin understanding how hearing works, the first thing to understand is how sounds travel. Sounds are pressure waves that move through a substance (usually air!). Our ears and brains let us understand these pressure changes as music, language, or ambulance sirens. The ear has […]
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Who We Are
HELLO WORLD! Welcome to our blog about babies and language (or more fancily stated: infant psycholinguistics)! We are a group of researchers (the Bergelson lab, part of Harvard University’s Laboratory for Developmental Studies) who study how babies learn language from the world around them. We use lots of different methods to do this: we measure […]