Understanding others and understanding language: how do children do it?

Does the child’s emerging understanding of other minds interact with his/her growing understanding of language? If so, in what ways? This paper focuses on the recent proposals of Daniel Hutto and colleagues regarding the role played by the child’s developing skills in narrative discourse in his/her acquisition of folk-psychological understanding. What must the child understand about the properties and powers of language in order to become a competent participant in narrative exchanges and so, according to the proponents of Hutto’s narrative-practice approach, acquire an understanding of other people’s thoughts, beliefs, desires, intentions, and reasons for acting?

► Children acquire folk psychological understanding by means of narrative practices. ► Children must develop metadiscursive skills to participate in narrative practices. ► Metadiscursive Practice Hypothesis complements Hutto’s Narrative Practice Hypothesis.