Essay Review : Development of meaning and meaning of development in the single word period:Early Lexical Development. E. Dromi (Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 1987). Pp.xii + 208. £25.00. ISBN 0 521 30885 2
Abstract
61 Essay ReviewDevelopment of meaning and meaning of development in the single word periodEarly Lexical Development. E. Dromi (Cambridge: Cambridge University press, 1987). Pp.xii + 208. £25.00. ISBN 0 521 30885 2 SAGE Publications, Inc.1990DOI: 10.1177/014272379001002805 Katherine Nelson City University of New York Graduate Center Studies of lexical development in the single word period (SWP) have proliferated since the publication of Bloom (1973), Nelson (1973) and Clark (1973). Empirical studies have confirmed or challenged the findings of these first forays while theoretical proposals have risen, fallen and given rise to new models. Four recent books have been published, all or substantial parts of which are concerned with lexical developments during this period (Barrett 1985, Kucjaz & Barrett 1986, Nelson 1985, Smith & Locke 1988). What does this new monograph contribute to this area? The book under review has three major goals: (a) to determine whether the SWP is a true stage of development, being discontinuous between the prelexical and grammatical periods; (b) to provide comprehensive data on the SWP based on a systematic case study of a single child (the author's daughter); (c) to evaluate theories of early word meaning. For the most part the theoretical discussion goes