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Word frequencies in toddlers' lexicons
L Rescorla1, A Alley, J B Christine
1Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, PA 19010, USA. lrescorl@brynmawr.edu
Parent-reported word frequencies in toddlers' lexicons show high consistency across diverse socioeconomic groups. This consistency is influenced by lexicon size and age in late talkers, aligning with established early vocabulary patterns.
Area of Science:
- Child language acquisition
- Developmental psychology
- Lexicography
Background:
- Parental reports via the Language Development Survey (LDS) are crucial for understanding toddler vocabulary.
- Previous research indicates variability in early language development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine word frequency patterns in toddlers' lexicons using the LDS.
- To assess the consistency of word frequencies across different socioeconomic statuses (SES).
- To compare word frequencies in late talkers with a general community sample.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of word frequencies from the Language Development Survey (LDS) in two studies.
- Comparison of vocabulary checklists from 758 24-month-olds across varying SES.
- Longitudinal tracking of 40 late talkers from ages 2 to 3, compared to a community sample.
Main Results:
- High consistency (correlations in the .90s) in word frequencies was observed between large, similar SES toddler samples.
- Significant, though lower, correlations were found between toddlers of widely differing SES.
- Late talker consistency was influenced by lexicon size and age, with common words aligning with diary study findings.
Conclusions:
- Toddler word frequencies demonstrate remarkable consistency, even across different socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Lexicon size and age are key factors influencing vocabulary consistency in late talkers.
- Findings support the reliability of LDS data for characterizing early vocabulary development.
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