The predicting effect of speech-like vocalizations on language development in young children and its explanations

: Speech-like vocalizations are sounds that resemble adult speech and are the precursor for subsequent language development. Studies have shown that the frequency of speech-like vocalizations, canonical syllable ratio, consonant diversity, and communicative vocalizations in young children predict expressive language, but factors that predict receptive language development remain unclear. Additionally, findings investigating whether babble onset predicts word onset are also mixed. To a certain extent, the predictive relationship between speech-like vocalizations and language development can be explained by three mechanisms: speech-like vocalizations provide the basis for language production, speech-like vocalizations create an optimal learning state for language learning, and speech-like vocalizations promote social behavior. Future research may consider exploring the causal relationship between speech-like vocalizations and language development, moderating effects of related factors on speech-like vocalizations in predicting language development, uniquely valuable speech-like vocalizations for children with language disorders, and the dynamic interaction between speech-like vocalizations and social responses.