Ethological approach to delayed language acquistion.

Language is initially a social or communicative event that develops from the nonverbal communication system existing between caretaker and child. While language in an adult speaker is used for reasons other than social communication, the communication function is the primary source for language acquistion, other language functions being derivatives of this basic function. A few studies were cited which suggest that the normal process of language acquisition may be conceived heuristically in terms of an ethological or psychosoical framework. This ethological approach to language acquisition suggests that noncognitive, interpersonal factors may be major contributors to the slow pace of language development among mentally retarded and autistic children. The implications of this approach were discussed in terms of the design of language-intervention programs.