Language acquisition CDS

Language acquisition CDS

1. Caregiver Speech/CDS Techniques

   • They repeat certain structures
   • They ask lots of questions, including tag questions and known answer questions
   • They use lots of imperatives, particularly mitigated imperatives (gentle suggestions. E.g. ‘Shall we…)
   • They often expand on what the child has said (developing)
   • They often recast what a child has said, representing information in a different way (correcting)

2. Linguistic features, phonology and prosidy

   • Intonation is exaggerated and words are stressed more strongly
   • Words and phrases are repeated
   • The pace is often much slower and with longer pauses

3. Lexis

   • Vocabulary is often simplified.
   • Use of reduplication (‘choo-choo’)
   • Use of diminutives (‘birdie’)
   • High proportion of words will refer to concrete nouns: objects that the child can see and touch

4. Grammar

   • Simplified sentence structures with auxiliary verbs often omitted (e.g. ‘Annie go for walk’)
   • Proper nouns – frequent repetition of the child’s name (‘Is Annie..’ rather than ‘Are you..? ‘Mummy is going to fetch the drink’)
   • More frequent use of plural pronouns rather than singular (‘we’ rather than ‘I’)
   • Most nouns will be concrete (e.g. Cup) rathen than abstract (e.g. Fear)
   • The present tense will be used more than the past tense