5.9-5.13

Question 1

language

Answer 1

is a form of communication either spoken, written, or signed that is based on a system of symbols

Question 2

infinite generativity

Answer 2

is the ability to produce and comprehend an endless number of meaningful sentences using a finite set of words and rules

Question 3

phonology

Answer 3

is the sound system of the language, including the sounds that are used and how they may be combined

Question 4

morphology

Answer 4

refers is the units of meaning involves in the word formation
+a morpheme is a minimal unit of meaning; it’s the word or part of a word that cannot be broken into smaller meaningful parts

Question 5

syntax

Answer 5

involves the way words are combined to form acceptable phrases and sentences

Question 6

semantics

Answer 6

refers to the meaning of the word and sentence

Question 7

pragmatics

Answer 7

the system of using appropriate conversation and knowledge of how to effectively use language in context

Question 8

recognizing language sounds

Answer 8

-in the first six months, infants can recognize when the sounds change regardless of the language
-over the next six months they can perceive better the changes in their own language
ALSO they begin to segment speech streams into words

Question 9

babbling and other vocalizations

Answer 9

-crying can refer to a signal of distress; different types of cries signal different things
-cooing, emerging at 2-4 months is a gurgling sound that usually expresses pleasure
-babbling such as “ba ba ba’’ allows the facial contractions
-showing and pointing starts at 7-15months

Question 10

first words ( overextension-underextension)

Answer 10

++overextension is the tendency to apply a word to an inappropriate object such as a dog for an animal with four legs
++underextension is the tendency to apply a word too narrowly

Question 11

two-word utterances -5-

Answer 11

identification: see doggie
repetition: more milk
possession: my candy
agent-action: mama-walk
question: where ball?

Question 12

telegraphic speech

Answer 12

the use of short and precise words without
grammatical markers such as articles, auxiliary verbs, and other connectives

Question 13

biological influences -2 areas-

Answer 13

Broca’s area
Wernicke’s area

Question 14

broca’s area

Answer 14

the region in the brain’s left frontal lobe that is
involved in speech production

Question 15

Wernicke’s area

Answer 15

he region in the brain’s left hemisphere that is
involved in language comprehension.

Question 16

what will happen if either of the areas is damaged?

Answer 16

produces a type of amnesia
+Damage to Broca’s area results in difficulty producing words correctly.
+Damage to Wernicke’s area results in poor comprehension and fluent but incomprehensible speech.

Question 17

language acquisition device LAD

Answer 17

Chomsky’s term for a biological endowment enabling a child to detect the features
and rules of language, including phonology, syntax, and semantics
++it’s a theoretical contract and not a physical part of the brain
++even if the LAD exists it cannot explain the whole story of language acquisition

Question 18

environmental influences

Answer 18

+social cues play an important role in infant language learning
+Tomasello’s interaction view emphasizes that children learn a language in specific contexts, especially joint attention.
!!! vocabulary development is linked to:
the family socioeconomic status and the type of talk parents direct to their children

Question 19

child direct speech

Answer 19

language spiken in a higher pitch and slower speed than the normal, with simple words and sentences

Question 20

other strategies that enhance the child’s acquisition of language -3-

Answer 20

+recasting: rephrasing something the child has said in the form of a fully grammatical sentence
+expanding: restating something with additional information
+labeling: naming objects that the child is intrested in

Question 21

an interactionist view

Answer 21

-Children are biologically prepared to learn a language, but a child’s experiences influence language acquisition.