What is telegraphic speech?

Telegraphic speech refers to the early stage of language development in children where they begin to communicate using short, two-word combinations that convey a significant amount of meaning. This type of speech typically consists of the essential words necessary to express an idea, omitting smaller grammatical elements such as conjunctions and articles. For example, a child might say "want cookie" instead of "I want a cookie."

This stage is significant in language acquisition as it shows the child's ability to form meaningful phrases despite limited vocabulary. It reflects their understanding of syntax and the ability to combine words to communicate needs and desires effectively. Such simplicity is characteristic of early speech development, typically occurring between the ages of 18 months and 2 years, marking a crucial phase in a child's linguistic growth.