First Language Acquisition - Hardcover

Clark, Eve V.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521620031 ISBN 13: 9780521620031

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2002

Synopsis

First Language Acquisition takes a comprehensive look at where and when children acquire a first language. It integrates social and cognitive approaches to how children analyze, understand, and produce sounds, words, and sentences, as they learn to use language to cooperate and achieve goals. And it takes a usage-based approach in considering what children learn. It emphasizes pragmatic factors in language use, and includes research on word-formation, and on bilingualism and dialect-choice. This book presents the major findings and debates in highly readable form. It examines the changes and continuity in children's language as they go from 'Ball' to 'I want to throw it now', from 'Stop, door open' to 'You mustn't open the door before the car stops'; as they learn how to be polite, how to describe sequences of events, how to talk to family, friends, and strangers, and how to tell stories.

About this title

Review

' ... its extensive coverage of the research makes it a useful source for anyone concerned with early language development.' Literacy Today

'... the way in which cross-lingusitic data are deftly interwoven in the discussion in a particular strength of the work ... a knowledgeable and perceptive account of child language acquisition. This will be a reference source used by many for years to come. It is a significant accomplishment and deserves a place on the shelf of teachers and researchers in the field alike.' First Language

'Much of it is deeply interesting, even when one begs to disagree ...'. The Times Higher Education Supplement

Book Description

First Language Acquisition takes a comprehensive look at where and when children acquire a first language. It integrates social and cognitive approaches to how children analyze, understand, and produce sounds, words, and sentences, as they learn to use language to cooperate and achieve goals.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0521620031
• ISBN 13: 9780521620031
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 534