Pragmatic Language as an Inferentially Driven System: Evidence From Typically Developing Preschool Children
| Authors | : | |
| DOI | : | https://doi.org/10.64600/vo2-no2-52-61 |
| Issue | : |
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025)
Section: Articles |
| Published | : | Dec 25, 2025 |
| Keywords | : | Inferential reasoning, Pragmatic language, Preschool children, Social communication, Speech therapy |
Abstract
Background: Pragmatic language ability is a critical component of social communication and is frequently impaired despite intact structural language skills. Contemporary theoretical accounts suggest that pragmatic competence is fundamentally inferential in nature; however, empirical research examining the relationship between inferential reasoning and pragmatic language in early childhood remains limited, particularly within typically developing populations.
Method: This study employed a quantitative correlational design to investigate the association between inferential reasoning and pragmatic language abilities in 21 typically developing preschool children aged 3-6 years. Pragmatic language was assessed using a criterion-referenced parent-report Pragmatic Inventory, while inferential reasoning was measured using a criterion-referenced inference test administered directly to children. Both instruments were developed by Rexsy Taruna. Pragmatic domains included initiation of communication, responsiveness, turn-taking, topic maintenance, contextual adjustment, communicative functions, social conventions, social cognition, repair strategies, and nonverbal communication. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s rank-order correlation.
Results: Inferential reasoning was moderately and significantly correlated with overall pragmatic language ability (ρ = .52, p = .016). Strong to very strong associations were observed between inferential reasoning and multiple pragmatic domains, including interactional, contextual, social, and regulatory aspects of communication. Regression analysis further indicated that inferential reasoning accounted for approximately 32% of the variance in pragmatic language performance.
Conclusion: The findings provide empirical support for conceptualizing pragmatic language as an inferentially driven system in early childhood. Inferential reasoning emerges as a foundational mechanism underlying functional pragmatic communication, highlighting the importance of incorporating inferential processes into pragmatic assessment and intervention in speech therapy.
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