Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!helios!daugher
From: daugher@cs.tamu.edu (Dr. Walter C. Daugherity)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Early Language Learning & Ancient Language
Message-ID: <5441@helios.TAMU.EDU>
Date: 25 May 90 17:01:03 GMT
References: <6544@ucrmath.UCR.EDU> <17833@ultima.cs.uts.oz> <1990May25.142052.16989@athena.mit.edu>
Sender: usenet@helios.TAMU.EDU
Organization: Texas A&M University
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In article <1990May25.142052.16989@athena.mit.edu> ccimino@hstbme.mit.edu.UUCP (c cimino) writes:
>....  After a certain age, if the babies
>have not been exposed to those sounds, they are no longer able to learn to 
>differentiate ('l' and 'r' in japanese children for example).  ...

Nonetheless, Japanese can pronounce the difference when it is important: when
Emperor Akihito was Crown Prince I never heard a Japanese say "Clown Plince,"
which would have been extremely disrespectful.  I also find it ironic that
some provincial Americans who make jokes about the Japanese 'l' and 'r' seem
unaware of how they (the Americans) pronounce "colonel"!

Walter Daugherity
Texas A&M University
daugher@cs.tamu.edu (Internet)
uunet!cs.tamu.edu!daugher (uucp)
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