Data from the Telegraphic Stage

Child Language Grammatical Development – Telegraphic Stage

Data Extract 1
Context: girl watching train go by a few minutes after her mother has left for work
Age: 2 years 4 months
Ruby: Mummy go work on train.

Data Extract 2
Context: imaginative play with teddy bears and figures.
Age: 2 years 8 months
Adult: What are you doing?
Stan: I giving blanket to monkey.

Data Extract 3
Context: looking over balcony and finding fisherman who’s been there for the last 3 mornings isn’t there
Age: 1 year 10 months
Mattie: Where man gone?

Data Extract 4
Context: watching TV with father and asking questions about girl on Cbeebies.
Age: 2 years 6 months
Mattie: What her doing?

Ciaran Transcript

These are a selection of utterances from Ciaran over the course of nine months from the ages of 11 Months to 1 Year 8 Months. Discuss how Ciaran’s language has developed over the time referring to his lexical, semantic, pragmatic and phonological development.

C – Ciaran
Ch – Charlie, Ciaran’s Mother
D – Charlie’s Partner

CH: You want a biscuit? (offers a biscuit)
C: Ah-Ah! (hands out, reaching for the biscuit, is given it)
CH: What do you say?
C: Taa

CH: You dancing?
C: Mmmm (moving back and forth to the music)
CH: Time to put your socks on then?
C: Sock
CH: Your socks
C: Sock
CH: Now say bye-bye (waves to friends)
C: Bye-bye (waves)

D: You gonna score a goal, Ciaran?
C: Ahh (toddles after Dave)
D: You gonna kick the ball?
C: Kii-Kii-Kii (makes kicking motions)
D: Kick the ball
C: Day! (points to the point, then kicks it)
D: Yay! Goal, Ciaran. Goal! (puts hands in the air)
C: Goal! (puts hands in the air)

CH: What are you doing?
C: Doggie
CH: What’s the doggie doing?
C: Doggie up (lifts toy dog in the air)
CH: You want me to pick up the doggie?
D: I’m going to steal Doggie (takes the toy dog away from Ciaran)
C: No!