Do 2½‐year‐olds hint? A study of directive forms in the speech of 2½‐year‐old children to adults∗

Abstract

Transcripts of eleven 2½‐year‐olds’ speech to adults were found to include hints and question directives, the least coercive directive forms in adult speech according to Ervin‐Tripp (1976). However, while these forms occurred, whether the children used them so that they functioned to express politeness is questioned, using several criteria suggested by Ervin‐Tripp (1977). These included the following: 1. Most of the directives contained some reference to a desired action or object. 2. Many of the directives were identifications of problem situations in which adult help was needed, closely resembling statements of need in the social context of adult‐child interaction. 3. Several sentence frames were used frequently enough that they appeared to be routines. In addition, children rarely dropped the issue when adults failed to comply with their hints and question directives. Analyses of sequences of directive forms showed that children were somewhat more likely to harden than to soften the form, but that repetition at the same level of politeness was the predominant strategy. [Agrave] few instances of hints and question directives which appeared truly subtle were, however, identified, as well as a few instances of addressee‐based variation in directive choice.

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