ABSTRACT
In conformity with lawful growth, language proceeds from the general to the particular. During the period from 12 to 18 months, the child acquires a vocabulary of about a dozen single words. These words are really word-sentences (McCarthy, 1954), having many meanings that can be divined from the context and inflection. “Ball” may be said to mean “give me the ball,” “where is the ball?” “take the ball,” etc. In the same way, “man” or “dog” may be applied indiscriminately. As an example, one day in the subway, a child sitting on his mother’s lap pointed to a man sitting across and called “daddy” to the amusement of the passengers and some embarrassment to the mother.
