Language Development Paper
Language Development 1
Language Development in Children Mary Reed Todd Athens State University Theories & Stages in Language Development Language Development Paper July 25, 2011
Language Development 2
Language Development in Children Introduction
At the age of 18 months children begin to use two-word sentences to communicate their ideas, and by 24-30 months these children are avid language users. The process by which children acquire language is a complex process that is still not completely understood. Many developmental psychologists and linguists offer theories to account for children’s rapid acquisition of language, but there is still a large nature versus nurture debate concerning this process. As defined in the Dictionary of Theories, the nature versus nurture idea “refers to the separate influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on a living thing” (365). This paper addresses the concerns and problems of language development that language theorists try to account for, and presents the major theories behind the phenomenon of language development.
Mysteries and Problems of the Study of Language Development Children’s use of language occurs several months after they are able to understand language, which according to Pinker, occurs before the first birthday. Studies have shown that at birth infants are predisposed to language; they prefer to listen to language rather than random sounds (Cole and Cole). At birth infants are able to distinguish between all the world’s phonemes, a phenomenon that lasts until 10-12 months (Kuhl). This ability is crucial for the children to acquire the language that
Language Development in Children Mary Reed Todd Athens State University Theories & Stages in Language Development Language Development Paper July 25, 2011
Language Development 2
Language Development in Children Introduction
At the age of 18 months children begin to use two-word sentences to communicate their ideas, and by 24-30 months these children are avid language users. The process by which children acquire language is a complex process that is still not completely understood. Many developmental psychologists and linguists offer theories to account for children’s rapid acquisition of language, but there is still a large nature versus nurture debate concerning this process. As defined in the Dictionary of Theories, the nature versus nurture idea “refers to the separate influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on a living thing” (365). This paper addresses the concerns and problems of language development that language theorists try to account for, and presents the major theories behind the phenomenon of language development.
Mysteries and Problems of the Study of Language Development Children’s use of language occurs several months after they are able to understand language, which according to Pinker, occurs before the first birthday. Studies have shown that at birth infants are predisposed to language; they prefer to listen to language rather than random sounds (Cole and Cole). At birth infants are able to distinguish between all the world’s phonemes, a phenomenon that lasts until 10-12 months (Kuhl). This ability is crucial for the children to acquire the language that