In some cultures, such as the Kaluli of Papua New Guinea, adults rarely communicate with young children and never play social games with them, yet their children acquire language within the normal time frame. This suggests that
A) social interactionists' theories about language development are invalid.
B) adult molding of communication during the first year is not essential.
C) other individuals, such as older peers, mold early communication skills in these cultures.
D) gesturing is more important than verbalization.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that children in the Kaluli culture acquire language within the normal time frame despite the lack of communication and social games with adults suggests that adult molding of communication during the first year is not essential. This challenges the social interactionist theories about language development which emphasize the importance of adult-child interaction in language acquisition.

In Some Cultures, Such as the Kaluli of Papua New