he third frontal convolution are otherwise employed, or they suffer
atrophy. In learning to speak, on the contrary, there is a continuous
development, first of the sound-center, then of the syllable-center,
then of the word-center and the dictorium. The brain grows through its
own activity.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FIRST SOUNDS AND BEGINNINGS OF SPEECH IN THE CASE OF A CHILD OBSERVED
DAILY DURING HIS FIRST THREE YEARS.

The observations bearing upon the acquirement of speech recorded by me
in the case of my boy from the day of his birth, the 23d of November,
1877, are here presented, so far as they appear worthy of being
communicated, in chronological order. They are intended to serve as
authenticated documents.

The points to which the attention is to be directed in these
observations are determined by the organic conditions of the acquirement
of speech, which have been treated previously. First, the expressive
processes, next the impressive, last the central processes, claim the
attention. (1) To the _expressive_ beginnings of speech belongs the sum
total of the inarticulate sounds--crying, whimpering, grunting, cooing,
squealing, crowing, laughing, shouting (for joy), modulation of the
voice, smacking, and many others, but also the silent movement of the
tongue; further, articulation, especially before imitation begins; the
formation of sound, and so the gradual perfecting of the vowels,
aspirates, and consonants; at the same time the forming of syllables.
The last is especially easy to follow in the babbling monologues of the
infant, which are often very long. The reduplication of syllables,
accentuation, and inflection, whispering, singing, etc., belong likewise
here. (2) The _impressive_ processes are discerned in the looks and
gestures of the child as yet speechless; later, the ability to
discriminate in regard to words and noises, and the connection of the
ear with the speech-center, are discerned in the first imitations of
sounds and in the repeating after others--i. e., in word-imitation. Here
belong also the onomatopoetic attempts of children, which are simply a
sort of imitation. Later, are added to these the answers to simple
spoken questions, these answers being partly interjectional, partly
articulate, joined into syllables, words, and then sentences. The
understanding of words heard is announced especially by the first
listening, by the association of certain movements with certain
sound-impressions