Chapter 11, Exam #3 Flashcards
phonemes
set of sounds that are characteristic of a given language, the smallest set of sound units that have significance for language
monosyllabic cries
single syllable cries (ah, uh)
morphemes
the smallest units of a language that denote meaning, can be individual words (root words) but they can also consist of the various prefixes suffxes and inflections we add to words
syntax
refers to the rules and processes by which people put words together to form sentences
semantics
the branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, phrases, sentences, and discourse (paragraphs, chapters, stories)
pragmatics
last level in the language hierarchy, the practical, day to day use of language, it is how we use language in social situations, how we modify what we say, and understand what is said, given the context and how we use our prior knowledge and experience to comprehend what we hear and read
cooing
noises made by a child between birth and 4 months
babbling
at 6 months the child begins to make a very wide range of sounds, an important milestone, child makes sounds that could belong to to almost any language and can hear differences among a huge variety of sounds
echolalic speech
the notion that the child will begin to imitate the sounds that he or she hears and repeats them, occurring between 9-12 month, it allows the child to process and practice more of the speech sounds in the environment
holophrastic speech
at 1 year of age, children only have single words and have not figure out how to combine words to make sensible statements, this is called holophrastic speech, which means that they use those individual words as if they were whole phrases by using context, stress and pitch
telegraphic speech
when the child leaves out many of the “unnecessary” words or morphemes (propositions, articles)
linguistic universal
common factors of language that are seen universally (vowel consonants)
critical period
when the human child is maturationally ready to acquire language. language is best learned early in life and becomes more difficult later on
hemispheric specialization
the language functions of the brain are located for 90% of the population
brocas area
an area in the brain that is responsible for producing speech and speech sounds
wernickes area
an area in the brain that is responsible for understanding and interpreting
Why is the structure of language represented as a pyramid? Why are phonemes located at the top and language pragmatics placed at the bottom?
Language is a structure that depends on the one before, pragmatics are a building block in the language pyramid. Phonemes are composed in everything
During the acquisition of language, which of the three main features of language (phonology, syntax, and semantics) is learned first? Why?
Phonology is learned first because they are the sounds, and noises that babies start off doing. Then syntax and semantics both increase the meaning of the language
What does a child need to learn first before he or she can start to make meaningful utterances (e.g., words like “mama,” or “ball”)?
Successive approximation must occur: by being rewarded for saying the most articulated version of the word
Object permanence- the relationship of words to the subject they are related to
What does it mean to say that children’s comprehension of language exceeds their performance?
Competence- performance difference
They understand but cannot duplicate.
• Sensorimotor - monosyllabic cries, cooing, coordination, movement, vocalization, rhythm, word segments, babbling, echolalic speech, object permanence
• Pre-operations - holophrastic speech, syntax, two-word sentences, telegraphic speech, mulit-word sentences, overgeneralization, comprehension (rather than performance), semantic, vocab.
developmental stage: Cooing
sensorimotor
developmental stage: holophrastic speech
transition to preoperations
developmental stage:
telegraphic speech
transition to preoperation
developmental stage: babbling
sensorimotor
developmental stage: semantic differentiation
transition to preoperation
developmental stage: syntactic overgeneralization
transition to preoperation
developmental stage: complex grammar
preoperational
developmental stage: meaningful utterances
transition to preoperation
developmental stage: echolalic speech
sensorimotor
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: Classical conditioning
First words associated with emotional reactions they have, mama get associated with comfort of mom
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: Reinforcement
if word is not right, parents correct them. Bad word, punished child. Wrong word, ignored. Mama gets good reaction
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: shaping
baba turns into bottle
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: generalization
overgeneralize past tense, forming of plural
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: discrimination
not tooths it is teeth, not goed, went. Not everything is a dog
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: vicarious reward
see other kids using language anf getting rewarded, so they do the same thing
How does a behavioral approach to language learning employ: imitation
copy what other people do
Identify and explain five problems with a behavioral explanation of language learning
- Parents are not always consistent with rewarding the right expressions and extinguishing the wrong expressions
- Extinction and punishment not good guides for what proper sounds should be.
- Punishment of the wrong usage may inhibit the child and create anxiety and avoidance of speaking
- Unrealistic to assume punishment and extinction and rewards could explain how children acquire language
- Rapid language learning by deaf and mute children.
What are the basic processes that underlie the theory that language is based on a biological adaptation
• Classical conditioning of emotional reactions (ex: mama) •Reinforcement, extinction, punishment •Shaping (“baba” ◊ bottle) •Generalization/overgeneralization (toothes)v•Discrimination (names, colors) •Self-reinforcement •Social learning (imitation and vicarious learning)
What is the main evidence used to support the view that language learning is based on a biological adaptation?
- Linguistic universals (subject-verb, consonant-vowel)
- Species-specific (retarded children versus smart apes)
- Critical period (recovery from aphasia and speed of acquisition for children versus adults)
- Hemispheric Specialization (left brain/right brain)
- Brain neurology (Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area)
What are the principal arguments used to support the cognitive theory of language learning
Imitation and self regulation
What are the three problems faced by a cognitive theory of language learning
Children have difficulty repeating what they hear
Cognitive and linguistic development often run on separate timetables
Cognitive mechanisms are not powerful enough to allow children to acquire language as fast as they do
What are the primary conclusions we can draw from attempts to teach language to apes
Apes can express themselves symbolically (ex: make requests, convey feelings, discuss the past, name objects)
• Apes can invent new signs
• Not clear if apes can use syntax.
• Can they follow rules of grammar, or do they simply respond to subtle reinforcers and imitate their human teachers.
• Ape seem to master language at the level of a 2-3 year old child.
