Child Language Acquisition

Between birth and 1st word being spoken

Crying

Distinct from crying but not recognisable vowels

Vocal play that involves forming vowel and consonant sounds

Consonants produced at back of throat
k,g

Different vowels merged together

Made up words that represent words they can't yet pronounce

5

24m = bilabial plosives + nasals + voiceless
30m = velar nasals + plosives (backed)
36m = some fricatives
42m = fricatives + affricatives (fronted)
48m+ = dental + post-alveolar pronunciation

0 = pre-verbal
1 = cooing (6/8w)
2 = babbling (6-12m)
3 = holophrastic (12-18m)
4 = 2 word (18m)
5 = telegraphic (2y)
6 = post-telegraphic (3y)

Vowels u and a then oooo and aaaa

Velar consonants
k, g
coo, gaa

1st = reduplicated/canonical
2nd = variegated

Repeatedly creating same sound
babababababa

Variation in consonant and vowel sounds
daba, manamoo

Reduplicated/canonical babbling > variegated babbling > proto-words
9-12m = emergenece of meaning
First words may bear little relation to adult equivalent of have different scope

One word can convey a whole phrase of meaning
Phonology often simplified for ease of articulation (eg. 'fis' phenomenon)

Explosion of vocabulary and start of grammar
Usually content words eg. dolly gone

Sentences make sense but not grammatically complete (some grammatical words omitted)
Continued development of inflectional morphology, auxiliary verbs and length of utterances

One word stage

Process where the number of different phonemes they produce increases

Reducing number of phonemes to concentrate on phonemes in their native language

Instrumental
Regulatory
Interactional
Personal
Representational
Heuristic
Imaginative

Language used to fulfil a need

Language used to influence/command others

Language used to build and strengthen social relationships with others

Language used to develop a sense of self, express preferences, opinions etc.

Language used to request info or give info

Language used to explore the world

Language used to play and be imaginative

Nasals m, n
Voiceless plosives p, t, k

Fricatives v, thought, v
Affricatives ch, j

tea because consonants at the start are easier than at the end

David Crystal

Mummy
Daddy
Hi
No
Yes

False
Children swear without knowing what it means

Deletion
Substitution
Addition
Assimilation
Reduplication
Consonant cluster reduction
Deletion of unstressed syllables

Omit final consonant
Do(g)
Cu(p)

Substitute one sound for another
Pip (ship)

Adding extra vowel to end of word, creating CVCV
Doggie

Changing one consonant/vowel for another
Gog (dog)

Repeating a whole syllable
Mama
Dada

Reduce consonant clusters to smaller units
Pider (spider)

Omit open syllable in polysyllabic words
Nana (banana)

Analogical
Catagorical

All objects with same category = same name
All animals = dog

All objects with same function/ use = same name
Moon and stars both shine = moon

Uses general word for a specific object
Apple = only green apples, not red ones

Link between name and object identified is unclear
Sees pencil "shopping" (uses pencil for shopping lists)

General term
Animal

Specific term within a hypernym
Dog

Put 2 words together
Starting to understand grammar
Huge increase in vocab

Roger Brown

Agent + action
Action + object
Agent + object
Action + location
Object + location
Possessor + possession
Object + attribute
Demonstrative + object

Daddy go

Make cake

Billy bike

Run garden

Teddy chair

Granny gloves

Coat soft

Here chair

Sentences make sense but are not grammatically complete (virtuous errors)
3/4 words per sentence

Subject + verb + attribute
Subject + verb + object
Verb + object + object

Doggy is naughty

Jodie want cup

Give mummy spoon

Doesn't make sense on its own
smallest

Makes sense on its own
smallest

Roger Brown

Total number of morphemes ÷ total number of utterances (sentences)

5

MLU = 1.75
No bound morphemes

MLU = 2.25
Bound morphemes
-ing suffix
-s plurals

MLU = 2.75
Possessives
Adjectives + adverbs
A and the

MLU = 3.5
-ed suffix

MLU = 4
Compound sentences

Verb inflection
Accurate pronouns

Bellugi

Stage 1 = use name instead of pronoun
Stage 2 = know difference between subject and object pronouns but get confused
Stage 3 = correctly use pronouns

Cruttenden

Stage 1 = use correctly some times but not others (repetition, no understanding)
Stage 2 = used correctly apart from irregular forms (virtuous errors)
Stage 3 = correct use

Bellugi

Stage 1 = rising intonation
Stage 2 = inversion of auxiliary verbs (are you coming?)
Stage 3 = wh- questions
Stage 4 = tag questions

Bellugi

Stage 1 = no or not at beginning/end of sentence
Stage 2 = no or not inside sentence
Stage 3 = attach negatives to auxiliary verbs (correct use)

Discrimination of phonemes
Phonotactics - distinguish word boundaries by what is more likely
eg. ant vs atn (at night)
Prosodic info/stress patterns