Routledge - The Resilience of Language Book - Psychology Essays

What happens when a child has no access to spoken or signed language? The Resilience of Language explores this profound question through the study of congenitally deaf children. This book examines how children who have not been exposed to any formal language system still find ways to communicate through gesture. By looking at children who have had no contact with spoken language from hearing parents or sign language from schools, this work reveals the innate human drive to create communication systems. These children use their hands to develop gestures that take on the forms and functions of language, providing a unique window into how all children learn to communicate. This collection of essays in developmental psychology offers a deep look at the biological and cognitive foundations of language acquisition. It is an essential resource for those interested in how human beings naturally build linguistic structures even in the absence of external models.