Preface

The effortless emergence of language in the very young child is the most amazing achievement of any nervous system. The processes underlying the acquisition and use of language, and the dissolution of these processes following brain damage, have been the focus of extensive research and of intense debate. A key development in recent years has been to apply the methodology and techniques of the cognitive psychology laboratory to the study of language acquisition and dissolution. In the past, it was sometimes believed that pattern of dissolution of language in some sense mirrors the pattern of acquisition over the first two or three years of life. Although it is clear that the basis for such beliefs was generally ill-founded, it remains instructive to compare patterns of acquisition and dissolution to learn from their differences as much as from their similarities. At the same time, it has become evident that the study of the development and breakdown of language can make an important contribution to our understanding of intact adult processes. In addition, this study has a valuable applied perspective in the diagnosis and remediation of language disorders in both children and adults.