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The foundations and development of metalinguistic knowledge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2002

DEAN SHARPE  and
PHILIP DAVID ZELAZO
DEAN SHARPE
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
PHILIP DAVID ZELAZO
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Abstract

Ravid & Tolchinsky present a valuable framework for understanding the development of metalinguistic knowledge (i.e. grasp of language form as opposed to content). Although this framework makes an admirable contribution, we question the authors' emphasis on familiarity with written language as an enabling condition, and instead outline an approach that makes more obvious provision for cognitive foundations and early development. This approach attempts to locate the development of metalinguistic understanding within the context of domain-general and age-related changes in cognitive function – in particular, increases in the complexity of representational structures involved in conscious reflection.

Type
DISCUSSION
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , May 2002 , pp. 449 - 488
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Preparation of this commentary was supported in part by a postdoctoral fellowship to the first author from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.