A Design for Multivariate Analysis of Language Behaviour and Language Development

Abstract

By means of a short integrative survey of studies of language development the complexity of this area is demonstrated. Consequently, the use of multivariate designs and the concentration upon the performance aspects of verbal behaviour is advocated. The pragmatic and semantic aspects are analysed as the two main dimensions affecting the verbal statement. The pragmatic dimension is subdivided into person variables and variables of the behaviour setting. Further subdivisions of the person variables are made and possibilities to subdivide the other dimensions are suggested.

The theoretical argument is supported by illustrative examples of the verbal behaviour of two young children. The changing composition of the communicative acts of children, which are composed of verbal and non-verbal messages are further analysed and illustrated. It is concluded that the search for language competence has to be a search for a multitude of psychological variables including competence in non-verbal communication and in the evaluation of the information needs of the receiver.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bernstein, B. ( 1964). Elaborated and restricted codes: their social origins and some consequences. Amer. Anthropol., 66, 55.

Bever, T.G. ( 1970). The cognitive basis for linguistic structures . In J. R. Hayes (ed.), Cognition and Development of Language (New York).

Bloom, L.M. ( 1970). Language Development: Form and Function in Emerging Grammars (Cambridge, Mass.).

Braine, M.D.S. ( 1963). The ontogeny of English phrase structure. The first phase. Language, 39, 1.

Brown, R. and Fraser, C. ( 1964). The Acquisition of Syntax. Monogr. Soc. Child Develop., 29, 43.

Cazden, C. The situation: a neglected source in social class differences in language use. j. Soc. Issues, 26, 35.

Chomsky, N. ( 1957). Syntactic Structures (The Hague ).

Chomsky, N. ( 1965). Aspects of the Theory of Syntax ( Cambridge, Mass.).

Chomsky, N. ( 1966). Cartesian Linguistics (New York).

10.

Fillmore, C.J. ( 1968). The case for case. In E. Bach and R. T. Harms (eds.), Universals in Linguistic Theory (New York).

11.

Flavell, J.H. ( 1968). The Development of Role-Taking and Communication Skills in Children. (New York).

12.

Francis, H. ( 1969). Structure in the speech of a 2-1/2 year old. Brit . J. Edu. Psycho., 39, 291.

13.

Glucksberg, S. and Krauss, R.M. ( 1967). What do people say after they have learned to talk? Studies of the development of referential communication. Merrill-Palmer Quart. 13, 309.

14.

Hymes, D.H. ( 1961). Linguistic aspects of cross-cultural personality study . In B. Kaplan (ed.), Studying Personality Cross-Culturally (Elmsford, New York ).

15.

Hymes, D. H. (ed.) (1964). Language in Culture and Society : A Reader in Linguistics and Anthropology ( New York).

16.

Hymes, D.H. ( 1967). The functions of speech. In J. D. De Cecco (ed.), The Psychology of Language, Thought and Instruction (New York).

17.

Kaplan, E. and Kaplan, G. ( 1971). The prelinguistic child. In J. Eliot (ed.), Human Development and Cognitive Processes ( New York).

18.

Kohlberg, L. , Yaeger, J. and Hjertholm, E. ( 1968). Private speech: four studies and a review of theories . Child Developm., 39, 691.

19.

Lakoff, G. and Ross, J.R. ( 1967). Is Deep Structure Necessary? ( Cambridge , Mass.).

20.

Lewis, M.M. ( 1951). Infant Speech: A Study of the Beginnings of Language (New York).

21.

Lewis, M.M. ( 1964). Language, Thought and Personality ( New York).

22.

Luria, A.R. and Yudovich, F.I. ( 1971). Speech and the Development of Mental Processes in the Child (Baltimore).

23.

McCawley, J.D. ( 1968). The role of semantics in grammar. In E. Bach and R. T. Harms (eds.), Universals in Linguistic Theory ( New York).

24.

McNamara, J. ( 1972). Cognitive basis of language learning in infants . Psychol. Rev., 79, 1.

25.

McNeill, D. ( 1966). Developmental psycholinguistics. In F. Smith and G. A. Miller (eds.), The Genesis of Language ( Cambridge, Mass.).

26.

McNeill, D. ( 1970). The Acquisition of Language: The Study of Developmental Psycholinguistics (New York).

27.

Miller, W. and Ervin, S. ( 1964). The development of grammar in child language. Monog. Soc. Res. Child Developm., 29, 9.

28.

Morris, C.W. ( 1938). Foundations of the theory of signs. In O. Neurath , R. Carnap , and C. W. Morris (eds.), International Encyclopedia of Unified Science Vol. 1 (2) (Chicago).

29.

Olson, D.R. ( 1970). Language and thought: aspects of a cognitive theory of semantics. Psychol. Rev., 77, 257.

30.

Piaget, J. ( 1926). The Language and Thought of the Child ( New York).

31.

Slobin, D.I. ( 1966). Comments on developmental psycholinguistics. In F. Smith and G. A. Miller (eds.), The Genesis of Language ( Cambridge, Mass.).

32.

Slobin, D.I. ( 1971). The Ontogenesis of Grammar ( New York ).

33.

Vygotsky, L.S. ( 1962). Thought and Language (Cambridge , Mass.).