The Influence of Child-Directed Speech on Children’s First Language Acquisition

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Theoretical Background
• 2.1 Nativist Approach
• 2.2 Emergence Approach
• 3. Child-Directed Speech
• 3.1 Joint Attention Comes First
• 3.2 What is Child-Directed Speech?
• 3.3 Relevant Characteristics of Child-Directed Speech
• 4. Study Cases
• 4.1 Influence on Child-Directed Speech in Different Circumstances
• 4.1.1 Head-Turning-Preference Procedure
• 4.1.2 The Effects of Maternal Depression on Child-Directed Speech
• 4.1.3 Gender Differences in Child-Directed Speech
• 4.1.4 Discussion
• 4.2 Child-Directed Speech in Other Cultures
• 4.2.1 Quiché Mayan Speech Community
• 4.2.2 Kaluli Speech Community
• 4.2.3 Discussion
• 5. Conclusion and Outlook

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper examines the influence of child-directed speech (CDS) on children's first language acquisition. The author aims to link theoretical linguistic theory with empirical findings from different research fields to better understand this complex process. The primary objective is to explore how CDS contributes to language development and how this phenomenon varies across different contexts. Key themes discussed in the paper include:

• The role of the Nativist Approach and the Emergence Approach in understanding language acquisition.
• The importance of joint attention and the characteristics of CDS.
• How different circumstances, such as the use of Head-Turning-Preference Procedure, maternal depression, and gender differences, influence CDS.
• Cross-cultural perspectives on CDS, examining the speech of Quiché Mayans and Kaluli communities.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 introduces the topic of language acquisition, highlighting its complexity and the ongoing research efforts to understand how children learn their native tongue. The chapter also introduces the concept of CDS and explains the paper's objective of exploring its influence on first language acquisition.

Chapter 2 presents two major theoretical frameworks within language acquisition: the Nativist Approach and the Emergence Approach. The chapter provides an overview of both theories, emphasizing the role of innate knowledge and environmental influences in language development.

Chapter 3 delves into the concept of CDS, discussing its characteristics and the role of joint attention in facilitating communication between adults and children. This chapter explains the specific features of CDS that are thought to aid in language acquisition.

Chapter 4 examines five study cases to investigate the influence of CDS on children's first language acquisition. The first three studies focus on different circumstances that affect CDS, including the use of the Head-Turning-Preference Procedure, the impact of maternal depression, and the influence of gender differences. The last two studies explore the presence of CDS in different cultural settings, focusing on the Quiché Mayan and Kaluli speech communities.

Keywords

This paper focuses on the influence of child-directed speech (CDS) on first language acquisition, exploring the interplay of theoretical frameworks and empirical findings. Key concepts include Nativist Approach, Emergence Approach, Universal Grammar, joint attention, Head-Turning-Preference Procedure, maternal depression, gender differences, and cross-cultural variations in CDS. The paper highlights the importance of understanding how CDS contributes to language development and how these patterns vary across different cultural contexts.