This book examines children's acquisition of a first language, the stages they go through, and how they use language as they learn. There are 16 chapters in 4 parts. After chapter 1, "Acquiring Languages: Issues and Questions," Part 1, "Getting Started," offers (2) "In Conversation with Children," (3) "Starting on Language: Perception," (4) "Early Words," (5) "Sound in Words: Production," and (6) "Words and Meanings." Part 2, "Constructions and Meanings," includes (7) "First Combinations, First Constructions," (8) "Modulating Word Meanings," (9) "Adding Complexity Within Clauses," (10) "Combining Clauses: More Complex Constructions," and (11) "Constructing Words." Part 3, "Using Language," features (12) "Honing Conversational Skills," (13) "Doing Things with Language," and (14)"Language and Dialect." Part 4, "Process in Acquisition," includes (15) "Specialization for Language" and (16) "Acquisition and Change." (Contains 16 tables and approximately 900 references.) (SM)