What is the telegraphic stage of language development primarily characterized by?

The telegraphic stage of language development is primarily characterized by the ability to string several words together to form simple sentences. This stage typically occurs in young children, usually between the ages of 18 to 24 months, when they begin to communicate more effectively by combining two or three words. These phrases often convey a clear meaning despite lacking grammatical completeness, resembling the way telegrams were written—hence the term "telegraphic."

During this stage, children might convey essential information using key nouns and verbs without the auxiliary words, prepositions, or conjunctions that a fully grammatical sentence would require. This concise form of communication shows the development of their linguistic abilities, even if the structure isn't complete.

In contrast, previous or subsequent stages of language development involve greater complexity, including the understanding of complex sentences or the use of full grammatical structures, which occur later as language proficiency increases. Additionally, ignoring pronunciation does not characterize this stage, as children are typically focused on acquiring both vocabulary and the sounds of the language.