The formula for calculating the Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) is:
\[ MLU = \frac{TW}{UW} \]
Where:
Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) is a measure used in the field of language development to quantify the linguistic progress of children. It is calculated by collecting a sample of a child’s spontaneous speech, counting the total number of morphemes (the smallest meaningful units of language), and dividing by the total number of utterances (independent clauses). The resulting number represents the average length of the child’s utterances, providing an indication of their syntactic complexity and overall language proficiency.
MLU is often used in research and clinical settings to assess language development and identify potential language impairments. It is considered a reliable and valid measure of early language development, particularly for children between the ages of 20 months and 4 years.
Let's assume the following values:
Using the formula to calculate the Mean Length of Utterance (MLU):
\[ MLU = \frac{150}{30} = 5 \]
The Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) is 5.
