Meaning & use
Holophrases
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Single words or short fixed expressions that function as a complete sentence, expressing a whole idea or request.
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A toddler's holophrases, like saying "up" to mean "pick me up," mark an early stage of language development.
Linguists study holophrases to understand how children first combine meaning with limited vocabulary.
A note on using this word
A key term in language-acquisition research, describing the stage before children begin combining words into multi-word sentences.
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