What is a key feature of child language development between 6 to 12 months of age?

During the ages of 6 to 12 months, children experience significant advancements in their language development, and responding to their names and simple directions is a key feature of this stage. At this age, infants begin to develop an understanding of language in a functional way. They become aware of social interactions, and their ability to recognize and respond to their names indicates a growing comprehension of the communicative intent of language.

Additionally, responding to simple directions, like "come here" or "no," showcases their ability to connect words with actions, even if they cannot yet verbalize their thoughts or produce complete sentences. This stage is characterized by listening and processing spoken language, laying the foundation for further speech development as they approach toddlerhood. As such, this ability to respond is a vital milestone in their cognitive and social development within the broader context of early childhood language acquisition.