18. An early stage of language development in which infants combine consonant and vowel sounds in experimental ways is known as
Answer: B
Babbling is an early stage of language development where infants combine consonant and vowel sounds.
Babbling refers to the stage in language development where infants produce repetitive consonant-vowel combinations, such as "ba-ba" or "da-da." This stage typically occurs around 4 to 6 months of age and is crucial for language acquisition as it allows infants to experiment with sounds.
A) cooing
Cooing is an earlier stage of language development that typically occurs around 2 to 3 months of age, where infants make prolonged vowel sounds like "oo" and "ah." While it is an important milestone, it does not involve the combination of consonant and vowel sounds, which distinguishes it from babbling.
B) babbling
Babbling is the correct answer as it specifically describes the stage where infants begin to combine consonant and vowel sounds in various ways. This experimentation with sound patterns is essential for the later development of speech and language skills.
C) semantics
Semantics refers to the meaning of words and phrases in language. While it is a crucial aspect of language development, it does not pertain to the production of sounds or the early stages of vocalization in infants, making it unrelated to the question.
D) holophrases
Holophrases are single words used by infants to express a complete idea or sentiment, typically emerging around 12 months of age. Although they play a role in language development, they do not involve the combination of sounds like babbling does.
E) pragmatics
Pragmatics involves the social aspects of language use, including how context influences communication. While important for language development, it is not a stage of sound production and is therefore not related to the question.
Conclusion
Babbling is definitively the correct answer as it represents a specific stage of language development characterized by the combination of consonant and vowel sounds. In contrast, cooing, semantics, holophrases, and pragmatics address different aspects of language acquisition and use, failing to capture the essence of the question regarding sound experimentation in infants.