ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the development of young children's ability to speak English and considers how this development is influenced by specific linguistic and cultural factors. The chapter has four main sections, dealing in turn with the development of the sounds of language, a child's first words, the beginnings of grammar and finally, as examples of sophisticated usage, the development of humour and narrative skills. Grammar learning is a continuous process, but it is possible to spot certain types of development taking place at certain stages, as children grow up in English. The chapter also describes the essence of what is learnt during each phase of development, from the earliest stages of babbling through to the early development of grammar and up to the creative use of certain discourse structures. Throughout the chapter, the author have drawn attention to the contexts in which children are using and learning English, and to the role of other people in children's language development.
