Which term describes the early period of language development when a child communicates primarily through cries, gestures, and sounds before forming meaningful words?

• A. Expressive speech
• B. Receptive language
• C. Prelinguistic speech
• D. Pragmatic language

Answer: (C)

At this stage, a child communicates before forming meaningful words, using cries, sounds, and nonverbal signals like gestures. This early period is best described as prelinguistic speech, which encompasses vocalizations such as crying, cooing, and babbling, along with gestures used to express needs or draw attention. The other terms fit later aspects of language: receptive language is understanding what others say, pragmatic language is the social use of language in interactions, and expressive speech refers to using words and sentences to convey meaning. So, prelinguistic speech specifically captures that before-word stage of communication.