10- Understanding and producing language

Question 1

What is language?

Answer 1

System of communication

Question 2

What is linguistics?

Answer 2

Study of language

Question 3

Psycholinguistics

Answer 3

the study of language as it is comprehended, produced and learned by people

Question 4

Phonology

Answer 4

sound units of language

Question 5

Morphology

Answer 5

meaning units of language

Question 6

Syntax

Answer 6

sentential units of language

Question 7

Phonemes

Answer 7

smallest units of sound in language

Question 8

Syntax v2

Answer 8

rules for forming sentences

Question 9

Morphemes

Answer 9

smallest units of meaning within a languages

Question 10

What are all the design features of language?

Answer 10

Vocal-auditory channel
Broadcast transmissions and directional reception
Transitoriness: rapid fading
Interchangeability
Total feedback
Specialisation
Semanticity
Arbitrariness
Discreteness
Displacement
Productivity
Cultural or traditional transmission
Duality of patterning

Question 11

Vocal-auditory channel

Answer 11

• Transmissions are from speaker’s vocal tract to hearers auditory channel

Question 12

Broadcast transmissions and directional reception

Answer 12

• Transmissions can be received by any hearer within range and transmissions are localisable

Question 13

Transitoriness: rapid fading

Answer 13

• Transmissions only exist for a brief period

Question 14

Interchangeability

Answer 14

• All transmissions that can be received can be transmitted and all transmissions that can be transmitted can be receive

Question 15

Total feedback

Answer 15

• Speakers receive their own transmissions enabling self-monitoring and self-adjustment

Question 16

Specialisation

Answer 16

• Transmissions only serve purpose of conveying meaning

Question 17

Semanticity

Answer 17

• Specific transmissions convey specific meaning

Question 18

Arbitrariness

Answer 18

• Transmissions are not inherently connected to the meanings they convey

Question 19

Discreteness

Answer 19

• Transmissions are composed of distinct units

Question 20

Displacement

Answer 20

• Transmissions are not limited to the here and now, rather speakers can talk about things not present, but remembered, anticipated or even imagined

Question 21

Productivity

Answer 21

• Novel language transmissions are possible including transmissions never before transmitted or received

Question 22

Cultural or traditional transmission

Answer 22

• Language acquisition is social and acquired via exposure to a community of language speakers

Question 23

Duality of patterning

Answer 23

• Transmission re composed of meaningless sound units and meaning is conveyed via combination of these units which enable infinite combinatorial possibilities

Question 24

Non-human language

Answer 24

• Hockett argues that non-human species have rich communication systems but lack design features of language
• Utterances in human language are typically novel rather than repeated while non-human species have inflexible repertoires of utterances

Question 25

Points against animals having language

Answer 25

Hockett argues that non-human species have rich communication systems but lack design features of language
- Utterances in human language are typically novel rather than repeated while non-human species have inflexible repertoires of utterances
- Cognitive limitation bias- non-human species lack the biological and cognitive abilities to understand and produce language
- Niche limitation bias- non-human species have the abilities required for language but have not had the evolutionary requirement to develop language

Question 26

Productive

Answer 26

possible to produce and infinite number of novel sentences of infinite length

Question 27

Dolphin language

Answer 27

• describe the comprehension abilities of a Bottlenose dolphin
• she learned to distinguish sentences that contained identical words in different orders and to comprehend novel sentences
• evidence that non-human species have abilities required for learning and comprehending syntax-like rules
• cant produce language

Question 28

Chimpanzee language

Answer 28

• Gardner and Garner describe the abilities of the chimpanzee Washoe to comprehend, produce and learn sign language
• Couldn’t teach it to speak as vocal tracts cannot accommodate the sounds used in human language
• Acquires a sizeable vocabulary, comprehended complex sentences and produced short sentences