What is the difference between speech and language?
Speech
Speech is defined as the physical, mechanical production of sounds, words, and sentences using the lips, tongue, palate, and respiratory system. It represents the audible, vocalized aspect of communication, focusing on articulation, voice quality, and fluency rather than the comprehension of language.
Language
In the context of a speech or language impairment, "language" is defined as a system of symbols—spoken, written, or signed—used to communicate meaning. It involves the ability to comprehend (receptive) and produce (expressive) language, including domains like vocabulary (semantics), sentence structure (syntax), word structure (morphology), and social usage (pragmatics).
Age-appropriate speech & language skills
Every child is different and there is a wide range of what is considered “developmentally appropriate”.
- By age 2, most children have at least 50 words and are producing 2-word utterances. They can recognize the names of objects, even in pictures, and understand simple requests.
- By age 3, most of their speech can be understood by people outside of their family.
- By age 4, children are producing longer sentences and by age 5, children should be able to carry on a conversation.