ABSTRACT
The search for genetic contributions to language acquisition has recently focused on children with specific language impairment (SLI). These are children whose language development is significantly delayed or incompletely developed, even though the putative prerequisite abilities, in the areas of hearing, cognition, psychosocial development, and neuromotor functioning, seem to be in place. What is interesting about these children is that they seem to demonstrate variation where none would be expected. By the age of 5 years, grammatical fundamentals are well in place for most children. Yet, children with SLI are well behind their age peers in certain key areas of grammatical development.
