ABSTRACT
Hitherto almost all research into children's speech has adopted the method of observation of children learning to talk, and only used experiment as an occasional expedient. But lately Alice Descoeudres in Geneva has made a noteworthy attempt to subject children of kindergarten age to an independent and systematic test as regards their power of language. The social difference of power of language shown in this way is very instructive. The standard of speech-development reached in different social grades has very recently been tested by a careful inventory of 65 children of the Vienna Kinderubemahmestelle by H. Hetzer and B. Reindorf. This showed that with regard to the very first, purely instinctive utterances, there were no differences between the social classes, but that these occur as soon as real speech begins. The children of the "uncared-for" classes when compared with those of the "cared-for" homes fell behind to the extent.
