This two-wave longitudinal study explored how Estonian children’s language environment relates to their language skills. The Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system’s automated measures were used as a source of information about children’s home language environment. Children’s expressive vocabulary was measured via the parent-reported Estonian CDI III (ECDI-III), and language comprehension and production were measured via the examiner-administered New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS). The assessments were made 1 year apart at ages 3;0 (years; months) (N = 22) and 4;0 (N = 19). The results revealed wide variability in children’s home language environment and language skills. Girls’ language production scores were higher; they heard a larger quantity of adult words and spent less time in noisy environments than boys at Wave 2. At Wave 1, children’s word count was positively associated with productive language scores, whereas silence was negatively associated with language production and expressive vocabulary. At Wave 2, children who had been more exposed to electronic media scored higher on expressive vocabulary. Distant speech at Wave 1 was positively correlated with language comprehension scores at Wave 2 also when controlling for language comprehension scores at Wave 1. The results, which indicate that distant talk is a positive aspect and silence is a negative aspect of the language environment, highlight the importance of “languagizing” homes also in cultures where silence tends to be more highly valued and talkativeness tends to be less highly valued when compared with English-speaking middle-class families.

这项两波纵向研究探讨了爱沙尼亚儿童的语言环境与他们的语言技能之间的关系。语言环境分析 (LENA) 系统的自动化测量被用作有关儿童家庭语言环境的信息来源。儿童的表达词汇通过家长报告的爱沙尼亚语 CDI III (ECDI-III) 进行测量，语言理解和生产通过考官管理的新 Reynell 发展语言量表 (NRDLS) 进行测量。评估是在 3 岁；0（岁；月）（N  = 22）和 4；0（N = 19）。结果表明，儿童的家庭语言环境和语言技能存在很大差异。女孩的语言制作成绩较高；在第 2 轮中，与男孩相比，他们听到更多的成人词汇，在嘈杂环境中花费的时间更少。在第 1 轮中，儿童的字数与生产性语言分数呈正相关，而沉默与语言产生和表达性词汇呈负相关。在第 2 波中，更多接触电子媒体的孩子在表达词汇方面得分更高。当控制第 1 波的语言理解分数时，第 1 波的远距离言语与第 2 波的语言理解分数呈正相关。