Article devoted attention to the effect television has on verbal ability and development and the manner in which television may serve as a model for language usage. Author also outlined some of the limitations imposed on language by television. (Author/RK)

Investigators agree that mothers employ a variety of request forms and that children seem to be able to respond to these forms with a remarkable degree of accuracy. It is suggested that the speech of mothers to their children is filled with requests which are really not requests at all. It is shown that many of what appear to be adult requests to…