Language acquisition : the basics / Paul Ibbotson.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Making the ordinary extraordinary
Social and cognitive foundations of communication
The birth of language
Understanding and expressing language
Putting words together
The shape of development
The rules of conversation and how to break them
What we have learned, what we don't understand

"Language Acquisition: The Basics is an accessible introduction to the must-know issues in child language development. Covering key topics drawn from contemporary psychology, linguistics and neuroscience, readers are introduced to fundamental concepts, methods, controversies, and discoveries. It follows the remarkable journey children take; from becoming sensitive to language before birth, to the time they string their first words together; from when they use language playfully, to when they tell stories, hold conversations, and share complex ideas. Using examples from seventy-three different languages, Ibbotson sets this development in a diverse cross-cultural context, as well as describing the universal psychological foundations that allow language to happen. This book, which includes further reading suggestions in each chapter and a glossary of key terms, is the perfect easy-to-understand introductory text for students, teachers, clinicians or anyone interested in language development. Drawing together the latest research on typical, atypical and multilingual development, it is the concise beginners guide to the field"-- Provided by publisher.