Advanced language acquisition is possible in spite of serious mental handicap. This is the conclusion reached at the end of a thorough study of the language of a Down syndrome adult woman, exhibiting virtually normal expressive and receptive grammar. This case, presented in this book, is compared to a small number of other exceptional cases of language development in mental retardation. The findings are powerful arguments against the claim that the acquisition of grammar is determined by prior nonlinguistic cognitive achievements. Moreover, data analysis and comparison with other observations...

Advanced language acquisition is possible in spite of serious mental handicap. This is the conclusion reached at the end of a thorough study of the language of a Down syndrome adult woman, exhibiting virtually normal expressive and receptive grammar. This case, presented in this book, is compared to a small number of other exceptional cases of language development in mental retardation. The findings are powerful arguments against the claim that the acquisition of grammar is determined by prior nonlinguistic cognitive achievements. Moreover, data analysis and comparison with other observations...

This book is intended both as a comprehensive review and discussion of the major studies of language development and functioning in mentally retarded (MR) persons over the last fifty years, and as an exploration of a number of important issues in this field. *The use of the term 'mental retardation' is in line with the recommendations of the American Association on Mental Retardation and other relevant organisations.