The development of directives: how children ask and tell

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Abstract
The ability to differentiate the directive senses of ask and tell was investigated using a production task in an experimental setting with children between the ages of 2; 6 and 6; 6. Results showed that the children at all ages distinguished the verbs along dimensions sensitive to adult ratings of politeness. There was a trend towards increased politeness with age under ask instructions, but not with tell instructions. Analyses of structural features of the directives produced showed that the interrogative form was more likely to be used with ask instructions, as was the word please, while tell instructions elicited the imperative, with less frequent use of please. The findings suggest that children before the age of 7; 0 are able to differentiate the illocutionary forces of utterances which have the same communicative intention.

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