Comments on: “Newborns’ Cry Melody Is Shaped by Their Native Language” http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/ Commentary on law, public policy, and more Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:10:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Laura(southernxyl) http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/comment-page-1/#comment-689533 Laura(southernxyl) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:27:56 +0000 http://volokh.com/?p=21684#comment-689533 LTEC, no, because they only laid her next to me briefly and I couldn't really hold her. She was born a bit early and they just showed her to me and took her away. LTEC, no, because they only laid her next to me briefly and I couldn’t really hold her. She was born a bit early and they just showed her to me and took her away.

]]> By: LTEC http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/comment-page-1/#comment-689528 LTEC Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:19:46 +0000 http://volokh.com/?p=21684#comment-689528 I think that all of these infant studies rely on measuring sucking rates, and are very badly controlled against experimenter bias. Laura -- Maybe she knew your voice. More likely she liked your heartbeat, or your warmth, or being held, or ... I think that all of these infant studies rely on measuring sucking rates, and are very badly controlled against experimenter bias.

Laura — Maybe she knew your voice. More likely she liked your heartbeat, or your warmth, or being held, or …

]]> By: Laura(southernxyl) http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/comment-page-1/#comment-689514 Laura(southernxyl) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:03:08 +0000 http://volokh.com/?p=21684#comment-689514 I remember that when my daughter was born she started screaming immediately. She screamed while they footprinted her, and weighed her, and whatever else, and then they brought her to me. I pulled the blanket back from her face and spoke to her. The screams stopped and she tried to open her eyes. Then they took her away and she started hollering again right away. Minutes old, and she definitely knew my voice. I remember that when my daughter was born she started screaming immediately. She screamed while they footprinted her, and weighed her, and whatever else, and then they brought her to me. I pulled the blanket back from her face and spoke to her. The screams stopped and she tried to open her eyes. Then they took her away and she started hollering again right away. Minutes old, and she definitely knew my voice.

]]> By: Crunchy Frog http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/comment-page-1/#comment-689447 Crunchy Frog Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:34:20 +0000 http://volokh.com/?p=21684#comment-689447 What about newborns whose mothers listened to Black Sabbath? Just askin'. What about newborns whose mothers listened to Black Sabbath?

Just askin’.

]]> By: Alan Gunn http://volokh.com/2009/11/17/newborns-cry-melody-is-shaped-by-their-native-language/comment-page-1/#comment-689406 Alan Gunn Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:55:21 +0000 http://volokh.com/?p=21684#comment-689406 From accounts of this study elsewhere, it seems to have been downright slovenly. For instance, the conclusions about "crying patterns" was based not on all the babies' recorded cries, but on particular cries selected by the researchers. If you're selective enough, you could probably conclude that native new Yorkers talk like Texans. Probably better than the newspaper accounts in Britain saying that cows had regional accents, though. From accounts of this study elsewhere, it seems to have been downright slovenly. For instance, the conclusions about “crying patterns” was based not on all the babies’ recorded cries, but on particular cries selected by the researchers. If you’re selective enough, you could probably conclude that native new Yorkers talk like Texans.

Probably better than the newspaper accounts in Britain saying that cows had regional accents, though.

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