450 or equivalent. This course considers how children learn their first language, whether it be monolingually or bilingually. Topics typically covered include the role of biological patterning in learning to talk, early caretaker-child interaction, learning what words mean, building utterances with syntax, the development of conversation, language learning during public school and variation in learning to talk. Videotaped records of children learning language are used for instruction, discussion and occasionally assignments. There are no prerequisites.
Short papers serve as assignments.
Undergrads and grads complete different assignments. The course readings are drawn from a Xerox packet. The class format is lecture and discussion. Language Courses 222, 223. Linguistics 222 is offered Fall Term, 1982.