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Children learn from speech not addressed to them: the case of personal pronouns

ABSTRACT A modelling experiment was conducted to determine if children would benefit from observing speech not addressed to them in discovering the correct use of first and second pronouns. Imitative behaviours of 18 English-speaking children who were about to learn personal pronouns were analysed under two modelling conditions. The non-addressee condition provided the child with systematic opportunities to observe the parents saying me/you with pointing actions directed towards each other as well as the parents saying me/you with pointing action directed towards the child. The addressee condition provided the child only with systematic opportunities to observe the parents saying me/you with pointing actions directed towards the child. Only children in the non-addressee condition imitated their parents' pointing actions and use of me/you without errors, suggesting that even children under two years old can attend to and can learn from speech not addressed to them.