Work

Beyond adult speech: why research on language development should consider speech from children

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Children's language development is tied to their linguistic input. While most of this research has focused on adult speech, around the world, children regularly engage with other children, in the home or in early childhood education settings. Here, I contextualize the frequency of interactions with other children. I then highlight properties of speech from children, such as acoustic signature and content, which might make other children's speech particularly relevant for language learning. Finally, I discuss how considering speech from children allows scholars to create theories that include societies around the world, where caretaking often involves more children and higher birthrates are common. I conclude that theories of language development should consider speech from other children as an important component.

Source: Child Development Perspectives

DOI: 10.1093/cdpers/aadaf004

Author: Federica Bulgarelli

Institution: University at Buffalo, State University of New York

Language: English

Topic: Language Development and Disorders

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,700

Funder: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development