Holophrastic stage
The stage of early language development (typically 8-18 months) where children produce single words that express complex meanings and functions of whole sentences.
Real World
A toddler pointing at a dog and saying 'dog!' can mean 'look at the dog', 'that's my dog', or 'I'm scared of the dog' — adults interpret meaning from context, exactly as linguists like Halliday observed in early speech studies.
Exam Focus
Always specify context when discussing holophrases — examiners expect you to show how meaning depends on situation.
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