The pragmatic processing of intonation and word order in 2.0- to 4.0-yr.-old children.

Abstract

This study investigated the roles intonation and word order play in the development of strategies in pragmatic discourse by the young child learning language. Four groups of children ranging in age from 2.0 to 4.0 yr. of age were given a 44-item protocol. The children responded to the pragmatic intent of the stimulus sentences differently as a function of intonation contour, word order, and age. The significantly greater number of responses observed with interrogative intonation in the youngest age group (24 to 29 months) may serve a social-conversational function for the child of holding an end in the conversation during discourse when no other response is available. A linguistic competency level might be required before word order alone signals the pragmatic intent of an utterance. This level appeared to occur at 30 mo. of age since prior to this age the children did not respond to the pragmatic intent of the sentences based on word order alone. Lastly, it appeared that the children's responses to the pragmatic intent of the stimulus sentences was a developmental phenomenon dependent upon the variables of age, word order, and the presence or absence of interrogative intonation.