Looking at a transcription between a two year old called Anthony and his mother. They use a number of different language feature this is shown when they are looking at a zoo book. A two year old may replace difficult sounds with easier ones, assimilate sounds that occur next to each other so that they become alike, and simplify the syllable structure of words.
Throughout the transcription Anthony uses substitution this could be because some sounds are more difficult and are learned at a later stage than others. Anthony uses stopping numerous times this is when he is replacing a fricative with a stop. He does this with the word giraffes, pronouncing it /da:fs/, he hasn’t been able to pronounce the ‘r’ so has used a stopping approach.
A two year old generally has a problem with sounds that are made further back in the mouth; Anthony has this problem with the word ‘fish’. To solve this problem Anthony uses fronting were the sounds are made further forward in the mouth. Anthony says /fis/ with him not being able to say the /s/.
Anthony has not yet developed syntax and can not say full sentences, ‘pau bears and fis’. This could be because he is still learning about sentences. Anthony has confusion with his syntax and changes the word order in sentences, he says ‘da fis in ðus raund’, when it should be throwing the fish around in the water.
Anthony is at the stage where he asks a lot of questions, but at times answers the question himself. When looking at the book Anthony’s mother asks what an animal is and Anthony gives a one word answer. He has probably learnt the rule to question and answer. Anthony also understands turn taking, and there is the consistency with Anthony saying something and then his mother.
The influence of adult language of a child is important with adults adapting their language to help children learn. They will use simplification through shortening sentences to give a concrete meaning, Anthony’s mother does this ‘you like trains and you like buses’. They give clarification through expanding sentences, repeating them, providing extra information and speaking slowly. Anthony’s mother asks a number of questions this way she knows she will get a response, but there is a time when she doesn’t get a reply. She pauses to wait for the child to speak but doesn’t get an answer so carries on talking, ‘fish don’t you (.) they like fish (.)’.
Anthony’s mother corrects his utterances by expanding on his sentence and giving the correct version. When Anthony says ‘wan to / / on that one’, mother says ‘you want to ride’.
In the conversation Anthony changes the subject to transport, the main use of vocabulary the child uses is on animals and transport.
Anthony uses a range of language features to have a conversation with his mother; if he can’t pronounce a word or sound then he uses another.
