IntroductionAlmostwithoutexception,babiesaresuccessfulatlearningtheirmothertongue.Infinitepatience,enthusiasticencouragementandgenerouspraisefromallaroundobviouslyplayaveryimportantrole.Soitisnosurprisethatthefirstattemptatspeakingimmediatelymeetssuchawarmwelcome.AsJespersen(1922)stated’Achild’s’teachers’aregreatlypleasedateverylittleadvancethechildmakes.Everyawkwardattemptmeetswithsympathyandencouragement,andthemostdifficultsteponthepathoflanguagebecomesthemerriestgame.’
