A language sample analysis (LSA) is a tool that generates the coding and transcriptions of a language sample to document the language used every day in various speaking situations (Miller, Andriacchi, & Nockerts, 2016). Language samples are typically 50-100 words in length and are voice-recorded and then transcribed by the clinician. Language samples are done using spontaneous speech, such as typical conversation, or narrative contexts, such as story or event recalls (Miller, Andriacchi, & Nockerts, 2016). The speech-language pathologist (SLP) will take the recording and write out, in the exact words of the child and clinician, every utterance (Bowen, 2011). The SLP will then "code" the sample. Coding the sample consist of marking inflection …show more content…
According to Children's Speech and Language Services, semantics is "crucial" for an individual to understand in order to effectively communicate (Semantic Language, n.d.). Type-token ratio (TTR) is defined as a measure of linguistic/language performance where "type" means "word" and "token" means "total words". For example, if a language sample has 50 words but the child uses the word "but" seven times and "go" two times (and those are the only words repeated) the "type" would 41 and the "token" would be 50 (Type-Token Ratio, 2017). TTR is calculated by dividing the type and the token. The TTR reports the semantic appearances within a sample (Hess, Haug, & Landry, 1989). The number of different word roots is defined as it sounds. Different word roots are similar to free morphemes but are measured by calculating all the words that do not have the same root. For example, the word "ball", no matter how many times it is used, will be calculated as one word. Total main body of words are calculated by totaling all the words within a