The paper focuses on the factors affecting the speed at which a toddler acquires language, chiefly new expressions and collocations. A special attention is paid to the individual functions of the child’s early language as described by M.A. K. Halliday (instrumental, regulatory, interactional, etc.) and the situations determining these. It also aims to point out idiosyncrasies of the acquisition process in terms of the infant’s exposure to two different languages – a major one (spoken by most of the members of the infant’s community) and the minor one (spoken by one of his/her parents only). Besides the theoretical background, the paper presents author’s practical examples and authentic recordings.