Child Language: Acquisition and Growth

Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics

by Barbara C. Lust

Exploring language development from birth, this accessible textbook introduces the field of child language acquisition, establishing key theoretical debates. It considers what characteristics of the human mind make it possible to acquire language and to what extent acquisition is biologically programmed and influenced by our environment. It inquires as to what makes second language learning (in adulthood) different from first language acquisition; and whether the specific stages in language development are universal across languages. It will be a key text for courses in linguistics, developmental psychology and cognitive science.

Genres: Linguistics

267 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mohammad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking.
“Children are discovering the language of their world by CREATING [emphasis added] it, or more specifically, by creating its grammar, on the basis of the input they receive” (p. 266).