The study describes the language acquisition of 20 young severely to profoundly hearing impaired children (3-5 years old). Ss were videotaped for 1 hour interacting individually with the investigator while using stimulus materials. Each of the four analysis methods (five stages of language acquisition by R. Brown, plan for language development goals by L. Bloom and M. Lahey, developmental sentence analyses by L. Lee, and phases of functional language by M. Halliday) measured at least one component of language--syntax, semantics, or use. The results showed that the Ss were acquiring language using the same semantic categories, syntactic forms, and functional uses as normally developing children but at later chronological ages. All of the analyses gave evidence for the conclusion that the hearing impaired Ss were developing a rule system consistent with patterns of normal language acquisition. Therefore, their language could best be described as delayed. (Author/CL)