Language characteristics of a linguistically precocious child

This study investigated the language skills of a two-year-old child who displayed apparently advanced communication skills. Analysis of 1,258 child utterances in relation to surrounding discourse structures indicated a high functioning level of contingent forms (retrieved forms). Utterances that contained retrieved forms displayed a higher index of language abilities than utterances that lacked such forms. This type of contingent speech elevated language abilities by the manipulation of discourse features.