How Does Language Develop?
Babies communicate without using words from the time they are born, and formal language development begins when a baby first recognizes words and then begins to use them. Most babies recognize their own names by about 8 months and begin to use a few words by a year old. Understanding words and sentences is called “receptive language.” Using words and sentences is called “expressive language.” Receptive language usually develops more quickly than expressive language.
