Children Talking: The Development of Pragmatic Competence - Durham 1996 Conference

Comprises papers at the Child Language Seminar held at the University of Durham in March 1996. The seminar focused on social dimension of children's developing language and was attended by delegates from a variety of backgrounds and interests, including teachers, linguists, psychologists, speech therapists and a number of postgraduates. All of the papers are based on empirical research. Each focuses on a particular aspect of the children's developing sociolinguistic strategies and pragmatic competence. The book should be of interest to those interested in children and their language development.

Presents background to the descriptions and discussions of child language that are presented in this issue of the journal on the theme of developing pragmatic competence. This background information, referred to as "intuitive knowledge," serves as a framework for understanding children's development of pragmatic linguistic competence and accompanying sociolinguistic strategies.