CHILD DIRECTED SPEECH

Question 1

LEXIS AND SEMANTICS

Answer 1

• adults often adopt the childs own words for things in order for the conversation to make sense to them e.g. doggie, babbit
• frequent use of childs name and an absence of pronouns
• use of concrete nouns (cat, train) and dynamic verbs (give, put)

Question 2

GRAMMAR

Answer 2

• simpler constructions
• frequent use of imperatives
• high degree of repetition
• use of personal names instead of pronouns (e.g. mummy not “i”)
• fewer verbs, modifiers and adjectives

Question 3

PRAGMATICS

Answer 3

• lots of gesture and body language
• fewer utterances per turn, stopping frequently for child to respond
• supportive language

Question 4

ONE WORD UTTERANCES

Answer 4

• use more simple sentences
• use more commands, questions and tag questions
• use of expansions, where the adult fills out the childs utteranc

Question 5

CDS AIMS TO:

Answer 5

• attract and hold the childs attention
• help the process of breaking down language into understandable chunks
• make the conversation more predictable by referring to the here-and-now