A thorough and readable introductory text on language development, this book covers all aspects of the complex subject -- including syntax, morphology, semantics, phonology, and pragmatics -- while explaining each idea and concept in a way that is easily understandable by even beginning students of the field. Rich in pedagogical aids like discussion questions, chapter objectives, reflections, and main point boxed features, the eighth edition of Language Development also emphasizes culturally and linguistically diverse children and bilingual and dialectical developmental information -- a discussion that accurately reflects the diversity of life and language in the United States.