Chapter 6

Question 1

what are two things that children need to be able to do for language development

Answer 1

comprehension
production

Question 2

comprehension

Answer 2

understand what others say to you

Question 3

production

Answer 3

be able to produce language through talking, writing, signing, etc

Question 4

what is required for language

Answer 4

human brain (universal grammar (chomsky))
human environment (behaviourism (skinner))

Question 5

explain universal grammar (chomsky)

Answer 5

Nature

Argued Skinner is wrong

Chomsky thought infants will understand and produce sentences they have never heard before, therefore it can’t be the environment. Innate skill to learn language innately

Universal grammar: Children all over the world share certain universal grammar rules

Question 6

human environment (behaviourism (skinner))

Answer 6

Nurture

Skinner is the psychologist behind operant conditioning and taught rats to press levers

Children learn language through reinforcement and punishment

Question 7

human brain (nature) in language development

Answer 7

species specific
species universal
brain lateralization
sensitive period

Question 8

Language is species-specific

Answer 8

Language development is specific to humans
Language being natural
Humans are the only ones with developed language to learn. Other animals have more basic ways to communicate (ex: mating calls)

Question 9

language is species-universal

Answer 9

Within all humans, language development is achieved by typically developing children around the world

Argue that an infant will learn language before they are directly taught, innate and natural

Question 9

brain lateralization in language development

Answer 9

Opposite sides of the brain that impact language development

Around 90% of right-handed people learn language using the left side of the brain

Question 10

Sensitive period of language development

Answer 10

The period where it’s really easy to learn new words and languages

Ages 5-10ish to learn a full language sweet spot

Mostly due in part to brain development and how the brain is maturing

Some people think it’s easier to learn a language at this time due to motivation

Kids have an easier time digesting bite-sized info than adults. Words are bite-sized, so they may have an easier time learning language

When sensitive period is skipped, language is always at a deficit, trying unsuccessfully to catch up

Question 11

infant directed speech (IDS)

Answer 11

environment, nurture

Will learn language by listening and imitation

Adults use baby talk to talk to babies (aka infant directed speech)

In another language: Know that that pitch and tone is something they should pay attention to, even if it’s not in their own language

Question 12

features of IDS

Answer 12

Greater pitch variability

Shorter utterances

More word repetition

Slower speech

More questions

Enhanced clarity of vowels

Exaggerated facial features

Large rhythmic modulations

Question 13

another name for IDS

Answer 13

Also referred to as “parentese” or “motherese”

Question 14

________ is a common component of IDS

Answer 14

sportscasting

Giving narrative of what you’re doing/ what’s going on
Tell infant what’s going on, what you’re seeing, etc

Question 15

Process/ steps of language acquisition

Answer 15

1. speech perception
2. word segments/segmentation
3. prep for production
4. first words
5. joining words/ putting words together
6. conversational skills
7. later development

Question 16

speech perception in the process of language acquisition

Answer 16

Before being able to understand speech, they have to know that speech is a thing

Child shows preference to mothers voice and language from the womb

prosody

categorical perception