Gesture and intonation are "sister systems" of infant communication: Evidence from regression patterns of language development.

This study investigates infants' transition from nonverbal to verbal communication using evidence from regression patterns. As an example of regressions, prelinguistic infants learning American Sign Language (ASL) use pointing gestures to communicate. At the onset of single signs, however, these gestures disappear.

The development of falling intonation in young children with cochlear implants: a 2-year longitudinal study.

This article describes the development of intonation in 12 cochlear implant (CI) recipients. In a previously reported study of the first year of CI use, children who were implanted late (after 24 months) acquired intonation more rapidly than the younger participants. The older children's advantage is plausibly owing to their greater maturity.

Children's development of intonation during the first year of cochlear implant experience.

This article describes the longitudinal development of intonation in 18 deaf children who received cochlear implants (CIs) before the age of 3 years and 12 infants with typical development (TD) who served as controls. At the time their implants were activated, the children with CIs ranged in age from 9 to 36 months. Cross-group comparisons were made when the children had equivalent amounts of robust hearing experience but different chronological ages.

The intonation-syntax interface in the speech of individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Purpose: This study examined the effect of Parkinson's disease (PD) on the intonational marking of final and nonfinal syntactic boundaries and investigated whether the effect of PD on intonation was sex specific.

Method: Eight women and 8 men with PD and 16 age- and sex-matched control participants read a passage at comfortable pitch, rate, and loudness. Nuclear tones from final and nonfinal syntactic boundaries in clauses and lists were extracted.