Why Is It So Difficult To Establish Eye-Gaze Patterns

words. The pattern-finding helps establish semanticity and assists children in constructing utterances. Usually the more joint attention a child experiences, the more quickly it will begin combining words. Often the first few multi-word combinations are paired with actions, producing sequential sensorimotor behaviors. As children continue to develop and hear more phrases they begin mapping structure across utterances. Tomasello argues that their novel utterances will decrease as they map the structure of language and realize the abstract nature of grammar. Language rules are epigenetic and tend to emerge only after the patterns in simpler constructs have been detected and utilized.
Infants and monkeys alike demonstrate an understanding of human intentions. When both groups observed humans, who were blindfolded, behave as though they had seen important visual information, they were found to stare longer, attempting to establish joint attention
Though many are able to master both phonology and syntax, though more slowly than typical children, most are unable to understand feelings and intentions of human beings. This difficulty challenges Tomasello’s claim that joint attention is a necessary step to acquire language. Though atypical children may be unable to establish eye-gaze patterns and other aspects of joint attention, they still master the formal language system. In typical children the acquisition of the formal language system and social use happen concurrently and social situations do appear to aid their development of language, however, joint attention may only be significant in developing the social use of language.
The usage-based theory is still quite new and has yet to be sufficiently tested. Before one can start to draw conclusions about the validity of this particular theory many more years of work will have to go into