What is an example of a child's early pragmatic skill during the early linguistic period?

Greeting someone is a fundamental early pragmatic skill that exemplifies a child's developing communication abilities during the early linguistic period. Pragmatic skills are crucial because they involve understanding and using language in social contexts.

When a child greets someone, they are not only using language but also demonstrating an awareness of social norms and interactions. This ability reflects early social communication as the child learns to engage with others in a meaningful way, signaling recognition and establishing social bonds. Greetings often come before more complex interactions, as they are fundamental to social engagement and set the stage for further communication.

In contrast, while asking questions, storytelling, and expressing emotions are also important communicative skills, they tend to emerge later as children develop more complex language structures and social understanding. The skill of greeting showcases the initial steps in social interaction and the pragmatic use of language in the child’s immediate context.