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by ricksplat 3683 days ago
I always presumed these were universal because they are the easiest sounds for infants to make.
1 comments

I'm not sure why that was downvoted. It's a reasonable assertion.
And correct, as it happens. Though long-running cultural associations with certain consonants (such as 'm', 'n' and 'b' and mother or grandmother, 'p' and 'd' with father or grandfather, &c.) to play a huge role in it too: the parents need to be culturally primed to mistake the babbling for actual half-formed words, and subsequently build that association in the child's mind in return.
Couldn't have said it better (obviously) myself. Thanks!