Do mothers cause referential and expressive language learning styles?

• Referential style - first words are nouns denoting objects - cat• Use single words with good pronunciation - do it again• Expressive - interpersonal meanings• Formulaic expression including inflectional markers (e.g. ed to show tense)• Pronunciation is less clear• Are these styles inherent dispositions or learned from parents• Lieven (1978)• Does the way mothers respond to their child's speech influence their style?• Observed concersations between mother and child• Referential responds 80% of the time with more information or question• Expressive responds less than 50% of the time often ignoring what the child says or using a cliche

• No way to know whether the mother's behaviour shapes the child or whether the child's language style is shaping the mother's behaviour• Which is cause and which is effect?