University of Chicago Press Metalinguistic Development

At a very early age, the child is able to use and understand language correctly. Later comes the precocious ability to reflect upon and deliberately control its use. Metalinguistic development, or the emergence of a reflective attitude to the comprehension and production of oral and written language, must be distinguished from that of ordinary verbal communication. This is the first book to review and analyze what is known about metacognitive processes in relation to language. Each of its seven chapters deals systematically with the relationship between the comprehension and production of the phonetic, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, and textual aspects of language. This material is then related to the metacognitive principles which govern reflective awareness. A concluding chapter deals with written language and metalinguistics. Jean Émile Gombert's novel description of processes such as the understanding of metaphor and humor in relation to pragmatics and his suggestion that metalinguistic knowledge is intimately connected with literacy contribute to a fuller understanding of the stages of language acquisition and mastery. With clarity and insight, Metalinguistic Development reveals how the capacity for reflection gives rise to emergent properties of the language system. A clear, critical, and interesting book about an important topic which has not been reviewed properly before. I particularly like the way that Jean Eacute;mile Gombert combines a comprehensive account of American work with a very impressive knowledge of European work.--Peter Bryant, University of Oxford Jean Émile Gombert teaches genetic psychology at the University of Dijon.