This volume reports on several aspects of the Bristol (England) study of language development in pre-school children. The study was comprised of two overlapping investigations: the first covering the range from 15 to 42 months and the second, the range from 39 to 66 months. The introductory chapter gives an overview, and provides a statement of the central argument that conversation provides the natural context of language development and that the child learns through interaction with other people. The remaining chapters are as follows: (1) "Language as Interaction," by G. Wells; (2) "Becoming a Communicator," by G. Wells; (3) "The Development of Comprehension," by A. Bridges, C. Sinha, and V. Walkerdine; (4) "Context, Meaning and Strategy in Parent-Child Conversation," by P. French and B. Woll; (5) "Developing Linguistic Strategies in Young School Children," by V. Walkerdine and C. Sinha; (6) "A Comparison of Talk at Home and at School," by M. MacLure and P. French; and (7) "Language, Literacy and Education," by G. Wells. The appendix provides transcripts from the Bristol language development study. (AMH)