The new edition of a comprehensive introduction to a rapidly
developing field, combining developmental data with theory.
How do children begin to use language? How does knowledge of language
emerge in early infancy, and how does it grow? This textbook offers a
comprehensive introduction to knowledge acquisition, drawing on
empirical evidence and linguistic theory. The theoretical framework used
is the generative theory of Universal Grammar; students should have some
familiarity with concepts in linguistic research. Aimed at upper-level
undergraduate and graduate students, the book offers end-of-chapter
summaries, key words, study questions, and exercises.
This second edition has been thoroughly updated, with new content
throughout. It has been reorganized according to the three main
components of language acquisition. The computational components and the
interfaces are covered in chapters on structure building in the verbal
and nominal domains, movement-derived structure, and the relation
between syntax and semantics and semantic and pragmatic. The sensory
motor interface is treated in chapters on infants' perception of
language and on the acquisition of words. The intentional-conceptual
interface is discussed in chapters on the acquisition of words. This
edition features additional cross-linguistic content, a new focus on
brain imaging findings and the motor aspect of language, new material on
Williams and Down Syndromes and dyslexia, and a new chapter on
bilingualism, early second language acquisition, and bimodalism.
Revisions reflect the burgeoning research in the field. New pedagogical
features include chapter outlines, summaries of chapters, hypotheses,
and linguistic milestones; methodological information; explanatory
boxes; and suggestions for further reading.
