Are any phonemes common to all languages?

Question

I heard once that the phonemes /m/ and /t/ were common to most, if not all, languages. Who hypothesized this and what books, journals, etc. might help me find more about this theory?

Answer 1

Check into Linguistics.  It's been a number of years since I took Linguistics but I remember in child language development the names of the immediate caretakers of children are all called by names that are formed from M, N, P, T, A (and I think e). They are the simplest sounds to make and they are the first ones that babies can say.  Here is a place to start learning about Linguistics: http://tinyurl.com/26y4vs

Answer 2

Aaaaaaahhhh!

Answer 3

interpersonal communication? and i recommend Chomsky and peter Trudgill

Answer 4

Most common are B, L, M,  N, R  ( not p as mentioned in the previous ost...arabic doesn't have a p)..