Abstract
Working memory (WM) has generated an enormous amount of empirical research, including research in the development and use of language. A common limitation of such work is that it is not clearly connected to any coherent conception of the cognitive system as a whole. While there is no uncontroversial model of the mind, reasonably well-established frameworks do exist, making it possible to address the issues within this broad
context. In this chapter we apply one such account, the Modular Cognition Framework (MCF), to the study of WM and its place in language use and language development. We begin with a brief introduction to the framework, pointing out the difference between a theoretical framework and a theory, then spell out the nature of WM and working memory capacity (WMC) within it. We then apply this view to the study of language development and language use. The discussion is broad ranging, and so some superficiality is unavoidable. For more in-depth discussion, readers are invited to consult the various MCF publications cited, especially Truscott and Sharwood Smith (2019).