The seventh edition of The Development of Language, written and contributed by leading researchers, covers language acquisition and development from infancy through adulthood. This authoritative text is ideal for courses that take a developmental approach to language acquisition across the full life span. The text thoroughly explores syntax, morphology, semantics, phonology, and pragmatics. It examines atypical development with attention to the most common disorders affecting language acquisition, presents strong coverage of individual differences in language acquisition and learning, describes how and why they occur, and provides contemporary references and the most recent research findings. The panel of expert authors provides students with cutting-edge, up-to-date research knowledge in an interesting and highly readable format. What's New to this Edition? Updated atypical language development chapter (Ch. 9) contains new information about cochlear implants, current research on the autism spectrum disorders, new therapeutic approaches to atypical language, with an emphasis on Specific Language Impairment, and evaluation of recent claims regarding the etiology of atypicality. Therapeutic recommendations are presented within the context of Evidence-based Practice (EBP). Includes contemporary topics, such as the neurological bases of animal and human communication, the value of programs to accelerate language in infants, such as "baby signs," language acquisition in languages other than English, adopted foreign children's language acquisition, and genetic basis for language, that encourage topical discussions. Updated with new material on the hypothesized brain mechanisms that underlie language acquisition, the aging brain's language processing abilities, and advances in the treatment of language disorders. New information on using computers and the Internet to carry out directed and student-initiated research on language development, as well as expanded information on the use of the Child Language Data Exchange System, which is now Web-based and contains both written transcripts and auditory language samples.