A still of the Recorder this video shows. The screen reads: 3 words. 5 morphemes..
What MLU tells you, in 60 seconds
Your channel hereExplainer · 60 seconds
Explain mean length of utterance: how morphemes are counted, and why it tracks a child's language growth.
We agree on the topic, due date and fee by email before you start. Already a creator? Email us to make this one.
What to do and say
A sample script of about 90 words. Say it your own way. Fill in the highlighted parts from your own sample, such as the MLU on your Metrics tab.
- 0:00
DoOpen on the words The dogs jumped, and ask how long the sentence is.
Say"The dogs jumped." Three words. But five morphemes.
- 0:05
DoCount the morphemes: the, dog, the plural s, jump and the past tense ed.
SayA morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning. Count the, dog, the plural s, jump and the past tense ed. Five.
- 0:20
DoType a short sample you made up on the Type Text tab, and analyze it.
SayMean length of utterance, or MLU, averages that count over a whole sample. I typed a short one into ConductSpeech, one utterance per line.
- 0:35
DoShow MLU (Morphemes), then Show evidence: morphemes divided by utterances.
SayMy MLU is [MLU (Morphemes)]. Show evidence gives the math: [Morphemes] morphemes divided by [Utterances] utterances.
- 0:50
DoSay how MLU changes as children grow, and where to try it.
SayAs children's language grows, MLU goes up, so clinicians compare it with children the same age. Try it at conductspeech.com.
Posting it yourself? Say that ConductScience paid you, in the video or the caption, and use the platform's paid partnership label if it has one.
What viewers should learn
Mean length of utterance (MLU) is the average number of morphemes per utterance. It rises as young children's language grows, so clinicians compare it with children of the same age.
Classic study: Brown, 1973.
Try it before you film
Open it first: Recorder on conductspeech.com. Choose its Type Text tab and type a sample you make up, one utterance a line. The metrics need a free account, with no card.
Record yourself reading a sample you wrote, or type one in. Never show real participants, children, patients, private records or unpublished results. Get permission before you film at your school or workplace, or name it. The handbook has the rest.