ABSTRACT
Contemporary sociolinguistic research has begun to provide some interesting insights into the conditions that promote the acquisition and development of communication in normally developing children (Cross & Morris, 1980; Howe, 1980; Snow & Ferguson, 1977; Waterson & Snow, 1978). Children’s first language development should be considered as the result of the interaction between social, cognitive, and linguistic experiences (Bloom & Lahey, 1978). Children begin to understand their world by engaging primary and secondary caretakers in social/communication exchanges; exchanges that in turn facilitate the child’s expression of his cognitive awareness. To fully understand normal child language acquisition, consideration must be given to the social and learning environment provided the child as well as the linguistic interactions that occur in that environment.
