Language Acquisition

Language Acquisition provides readers with excellent critical coverage of current literature in the field. The book uses three influential theories—relevance theory, dynamic processing theory, and usage-based theory to address nearly sixty issues that have been missed or ignored in current language acquisition books. In order to do this, it takes into account rational evidence in conjunction with the most influential philosophical view of constructionism.

Students will gain historical perspective, learn how communication acquisition is more general than actual language acquisition, and enhance their understanding of constructionism, relevance theory, usage theory, and dynamic systems theory.

The book also examines cognitive development and affect in language acquisition, pre-grammatical and grammatical children, speech and hearing mechanisms, phonology, pragmatics, and literacy.

Language Acquisition is designed for courses in language acquisition in any of the following fields of study: child development, communication disorders, deaf education, linguistics, special education and psychology.

Language Acquisition is a companion text to the book Best Practices, which introduces and explores the new field of communication sciences and disorders.