The single-word stage in language acquisition is known as ........
Detailed Explanation & Solution
📌 Core Theoretical Concept:
In the study of child development and psycholinguistics, when an infant reaches approximately 12 months (1 year) of age, they begin to utter single words. However, a single word is used to convey a complete thought, desire, or complex meaning (e.g., saying 'Milk' to mean 'I want milk'). This milestone is scientifically recognized as the 'Holophrastic stage'. The term is derived from 'holo' meaning whole and 'phrase' meaning sentence, signifying that a single word serves the purpose of an entire sentence. This marks a critical step in symbolic communication and early language acquisition.
📊 Key Exam Points:
- Holophrastic Stage (Option a): The single-word stage where infants express complex thoughts using only one word.
- Telegraphic Stage (Option b): Occurs around 18-24 months where children combine two or three words into mini-sentences (e.g., 'Daddy go').
- Cooing Stage (Option c): Emerges around 2 to 3 months of age where infants produce vowel-like pleasant sounds.
- Distractor Analysis (Option d): 'Monostage' is a non-standard distractor term not recognized in standard developmental psychology literature.
📖 Theoretical Reference: Language acquisition milestones align closely with cognitive development theories. For comprehensive study on linguistic milestones, refer to Language Development and Acquisition Theories in educational psychology textbooks.