A groundbreaking study has identified a key milestone in children's language development, showing that English-speaking toddlers begin creating novel determiner-noun combinations around 30 months of age.
The research, published in PNAS by University of Chicago scientists, demonstrates when children move beyond simply repeating phrases they've heard to actively generating new language combinations, particularly with words like "a" and "the" paired with nouns.
"We wanted to understand when children start producing truly novel language rather than just repeating what they've heard," explains Susan Goldin-Meadow, lead researcher at the University of Chicago.
The study tracked 64 English-speaking children and their caregivers, recording their interactions every four months. Researchers noted that around age 2.5 years, children began independently using both "a" and "the" with the same nouns - for example, saying both "a pineapple" and "the pineapple."
To validate these observations, the research team developed a computer model trained on parent speech patterns. The model successfully predicted when children would begin creating new determiner-noun combinations, confirming the 30-month milestone.
This finding represents an important step in understanding language development. When toddlers begin saying phrases like "a dog" after only hearing "the dog," they demonstrate their grasp of basic grammar rules rather than mere mimicry.
The research may help answer broader questions about language acquisition, including how much exposure children need to master specific language structures. These insights could prove particularly valuable for understanding language development in unique circumstances, such as among deaf children who develop their own gestural communication systems.
This innovative study combined traditional behavioral observations with computational modeling, offering new methods to explore how young children learn and use language.
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