Stephen Fry ~ Planet Word Origins Of Language

• 2 years old is the key stage children start speaking
• 'Mummy' and 'Daddy' are the first words everywhere
• Chimps have learned signed language and to talk through pushing buttons but they do not create conversation like humans
• Humans needed language to collaborate e.g. hunting to feed a tribe 
• Fox-P-2 ~ part of DNA ~ IF there is a problem with the gene it could cause a problem with our speech
• We know more about the universe than about how our language began and works
• There's a window for language development which closes around early puberty
• Dr Deb Roy ~ Cameras in house filming his son growing up learning language 'Speech home project' 
• At 2 years old you'll learn 10 new words per day 
• Steven Pinker ~ children say things they've never heard so must be born with it
• Jean Berko Gleason ~ developed the 'wug test' 1955 ~ Parents need to provide context, opportunities to speak
• Deb Roy tracked the pronunciation of noun 'water' for 7 months e.g. the childs semantic awareness outstrips their phonological ability - highlighted by Dr Deb Roy