10
Tuesday, February 16, 1988 / University Daily Kansan
Out of the mouths of babes Professors study children's language acquisition patterns
By Stacy Foster Kansan staff writer
Understanding how Mayan Indian children learn to talk may help a KU professor improve language development for English-speaking children.
Clifton Pye, assistant professor of linguistics, has been studying the language acquisition of Guatemala's Quiche (Kee-CHAY) Indians for 12 years.
Pye said that studying speech developments in the Quiche language had led to interesting discoveries about the way U.S. children developed speech.
Pye found that most of the Indian children acquired specific sounds in their language at an earlier age than U.S. children acquired the same sounds in English. He said that the difference had to do with the way the sound was used in the language.
Pye said that certain sounds in the Quiche language were more common in their vocabulary. For example, the 'ch' as in chicken is learned at an
earlier stage in Quiche than the 'ch' in English words. The 'ch' sound is more common in the Quiche language than in English.
"For both languages, however, those sounds that occur infrequently are the sounds hardest to learn," Pye said.
Pye said that U.S. children benefited from studies of different languages.
"It helps decide which factors are significant in the acquisition of sound," he said. "It helps us understand the ways in which children learn sounds they are exposed to."
The way the children learn language is not necessarily based on their physiology. Instead, the way the sound is used and how often that sound appears in their language affects their ability to learn, Pye said.
"The more we know about how children learn language naturally, the more we know about what aspects of their own language they
need to be exposed to," he said.
Akira Yamamoto, professor of linguistics, has studied native Indian languages in the United States for 14 years.
Yamamoto said that many Indian languages were dying out and that it was important to study and preserve their history.
"There has not been very much study done on American Indian laguages," Yamamoto said. "That is why our research is so important.
"We have to know how children learn the language and which aspects of language should be taught first. Then we can develop appropriate materials to teach them better. For example, we don't teach first graders Shakespeare.
"Some of the problems are physiological, but in some cases it is because of problems developed when they first learn their language. If we don't know how the first language is acquired then we can not address the problems they face in the English language," Yamamoto said.
Kwality books,
comics, and games.
1111 Masswachutes 843-7239
CHINESE FOOD DELIVERY
CALL 841-4599
5-9:30 Tues.-Sun. from
Royal Peking Restaurant
$ CASH $ CASH $ CASH $
- Earn a substantial income to help pay your college tuition and loans
• Drive a 1988 bonus car (BMW, Toyota, Buick, Honda)
• Opportunity knocks but once
• Beginning of your financial independence can easily start Tuesday night
All are available to you through a new and exciting company!
For more information come to a free seminar that could change your life!
Tuesday, February 16
7:00 p.m.
Gallery Room/Union
Don't pass up this opportunity!
Macintosh It’s never cost less for your key to success!
It's the first ever KU Bookstores truckload sale on Macintosh computers and that means big savings for you. Like $1000 off the regular retail price on Macintosh Plus.
With prices lower than ever before, now's the time to order a Mac. Here's the deal: On April 1st, the "Mac truck" will arrive loaded with specially priced computers for KU students (staff and faculty, tool!) If you want to make sure your computer is on the truck, you need to pre-order at the bookstore now.
You may even be able to finance your computer with help from the Financial Aid Office. There are several plans available. Some include low monthly payments during the time you're in school at KU; others don't require any payments until after you graduate! Counselors at the Financial Aid Office can tell you if you qualify (financial need is not the qualifying issue.) And they'll explain exactly how the program works. All you have to do is call 864-4700 and make an appointment to find out more.
You can have a Macintosh on your desk on April 1.
All you have to do is order in advance. We'll even show you how to set it up and get started at free seminars in the Burge Union on the 1st. Sound easy?
It is. As easy as 1, 2, 3!
Step 3: Pick up your Macintosh at the Burge Union on March 31 or April 1 when the trucks arrive. Attend a free seminar to learn how to get started, if you'd like.
Step 1: (optional) Interested in finding out if you qualify for student financing? Contact the Financial Aid Office at 864-4700. Make your appointment as soon as possible. The counselors there will be more than happy to help qualified students choose the best program. (Financial need is not the qualifying issue.)
Step 2: Order your Macintosh at the Burge Union. Stop by this week and tell us which Macintosh, Plus or SE, to load on the truck for you. (Small deposit required)
Macintosh Plus or SE?
2-disk or hard disk drive?
You choose. The computer that will help you work faster, smarter and more creatively has never cost less!
Macintosh Plus...$1200
(retail list $2199)
$360 off the already low KU Bookstores price
KU Truckload Savings:
Macintosh SE with 2 disk drives...$1979
(retail list $2898)
Macintosh SE, 20 meg hard disk drive...$2399
(retail list $3698)
$100 off the already low KU Bookstores price
Included in these special prices are the computer, keyboard, mouse hypercard and multifinder.
Special prices are also available to KU faculty and staff.
Macintosh $ ^{\mathrm{TM}} $
Helping You Make the Grade at KU