Data drawn from videotapes of children aged 20 to 32 months were analyzed for patterns in the use of various self-reference forms at an age when children rarely refer to others compared to their use at an age when children more regularly refer to others as main participants. First, the distribution of the forms "I,""me,""my," other-reference, and personal names was examined. The contrastive use of pronominal self-reference forms based on the transitivity parameters of their use in the subject position was then analyzed. It was found that among the younger, more ego-anchored children, utterances containing two participants and referring to completed actions and intentional behavior were more likely to contain "my" than "I." In contrast, "I" was found most often in utterances expressing the child's experiential states and intentions. The pattern was not found among older, nonego-anchored children, who used "I" when referring to themselves as causal agents as well as in experiential expressions. The ego-anchored children also used "me" in initial utterance position, as a subject affected by action. Nominal self-reference generally occurred in acts of naming, identifying, and describing, and with gestures. Contrast in the use of nominal versus pronominal forms of self-reference is suggested as a subject for further study. (MSE)