Research and theory on language acquisition and language socialization are examined and compared. The language acquisition perspective is that the central question is how children acquire forms and patterns of language, with syntax at the core, so early and so rapidly. From the viewpoint of language socialization, the issue is not only of acquisition of linguistic forms and principles but also of the learning of the real-world meanings and social functions of these forms. The two approaches define the problem of what is to be learned very differently and have correspondingly different methods and research questions. The discussion considers research on the effects of different aspects of adult-to-child speech on child language, including adult modification of prosodic features, manipulation of non-prosodic features, adult syntax, and adult questions. Selected language socialization research, which emphasizes pragmatics and discourse rather than syntax, is also reviewed. It is proposed that a more fruitful approach would be to combine the two perspectives, specifically by language acquisition researchers' use of language socialization methods to address syntax development. (Contains 60 references.) (MSE)