Babies can recognise combinations of words even before they have uttered their first word, a study suggests, challenging ideas of how children learn language. Assessments in 11-12 month-olds show that infants at the cusp of talking are already processing multiword phrases such as ‘clap your hands’.

Assessments in 11-12 month-olds show that infants at the cusp of talking are already processing multiword phrases such as ‘clap your hands’.

Researchers say the study is the first to provide evidence that young children can pick up and understand multiword sequences before they can talk or begin producing such combinations themselves.

The findings suggest that babies learn individual words and more complex phrases at the same time, which challenges the perspective that they progress from single words to phrases and sentences, experts say.

It may also explain why adults who learn a new language in later life by focusing on individual words often do not achieve native-like proficiency.

Linguists at the University of Edinburgh assessed 36 infants’ language learning behaviour in a series of attention tests using recorded adult speech.

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