The Child Language Reader

"The Child Language Reader" is the essential guide for students of child language acquisition and development.

Focusing on the important contemporary issues and debates in the field, the book draws together key articles and places them within their thematic and social contexts. Packed with editorial material to help students to navigate the diverse practical and theoretical strands of child language, it also offers clear explanations of essential terminology and concepts.

Features include: - a general introduction exploring and explaining current issues and debates - organization into eight thematic sections, each with an editor's introduction - a comprehensive bibliography and suggestions for further reading.

The Child Language Reader provides an introduction to the most important research in child language acquisition and development. Including extensive editorial introductions, which explain key background, assumptions and terminology, and organized into thematic sections, it brings the reader into direct contact with original research, in a supported and guided environment.Features include:*articles written by a range of international authors, including classics by influential figures*coverage of a number of language development areas, including phonology, semantics, sociolinguistics, methodology and bilingualism*a substantial section on methodology, offering practical insight into the design of child language research*an appendix on statistical analysis*a new piece by Brian Richards and David Malvern.Covering a range of different theoretical standpoints, The Child Language Reader offers a comprehensive overview of the field, and is a definitive resource for anyone with an interest in child language.

Editors' Preface. Acknowledgements. Notes on Contributors Section 1: The Social Matrix of Language Development1.1 Conversations Between Mothers and Young Children: Individual Differences and Their Possible Implication for the Study of Language Learning Elena Lieven 1.2 The Acquisition of Gender-Differentiated Language Jennifer Coates Section 2: Methodology 2.1 Ethical standards through the research process Priscilla Alderson 2.2 Introduction [to the CHILDES Project] Brian MacWhinney 2.3 Investigating the validity of a new measure of lexical diversity for root and inflected forms Brian Richards and David Malvern Section 3: Meanings 3.1 Symmetries and asymmetries in early lexical comprehension and production Margaret Harris, Caroline Yeeles, Joan Chasin and Yvonne Oakley 3.2 Restricting a Familiar Name in Response to Learning a New One: Evidence For the Mutual Exclusivity Bias in Young Two-Year-Olds William Merriman and Colleen Stevenson 3.3 From Universal to Language-Specific in Early Grammatical Development Melissa Bowerman Section 4: Word and Sentence Structure 4.1 The Role of Syntax in Verb Learning Lila Gleitman and Jane Gillette4.2 How to Build a Lexicon:A Case Study of Lexical Errors and Innovations Deanne Swan Section 5: Phonology 5.1 On the Acquisition of Velars E. Jane Fee 5.2 Syllable Structure and Minimal Words Carol Stoel-Gammon Section 6: Explanations of Language Development 6.1 Filler Syllables: What is Their Status in Emerging Grammar? Ann Peters6.2 Underspecification and Modularity in Early Syntax:A Formalist Perspective on Language Acquisition Nina Hyams 6.3Emergent Language Brian MacWhinney Section 7: Bilingualism and Cross-Cultural Comparisons 7.1 Bilingual Language Development Suzanne Romaine 7.2 Theories, Language and Culture: Whorf Without Wincing Alison Gopnik.Appendix: About Statistical Analysis. Bibliography. Index

Kate Trott, formerly Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at York St John College, and Sushie Dobbinson, formerly Head of Programme for Linguistics at York St John College, are now both based at Sheffield University, UK. Patrick Griffiths is a Professor of English at Beppu University, Japan.