Chapter 8- Language

Question 1

What is pidgin? How does creole differ from pidgin?

Answer 1

Pidgin is a simplified language for communication between different language speakers.

Creole is a nativized form of pidgin that becomes more complex and is learned as a first language.

Question 2

Name & describe the 4 levels of language in the book:

Answer 2

a. Phonology & phonemes

b. Morphology & morphemes

c. Syntax

d. Extralinguistic information

Question 3

4. What is a critical period? What is the suggested critical period for language?

Answer 3

time frame during development when an organism is particularly receptive to acquiring certain skills or knowledge.

critical period for language- birth to around puberty.

Question 4

5. What two animal species show some language elements?

Answer 4

Dolphins and Apes

Question 5

Language Development- When do the different aspects of language begin?

Answer 5

Pragmatic—begins at birth

Phonology—babies practice sounds before they understand they represent
anything—begins in womb—newborns recognize Mom’s voice

Semantics—easier to acquire with early deprivation

Syntax—more sensitive to early deprivation – What case did we talk about in
class that supports this argument?

Motherese - Child directed speech and its effect on children

Question 6

Briefly describe the 2 theories on the relation between thought and language

Answer 6

The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis- supports linguistic relativity. suggests the structure and vocabulary of the particular language will influence or determine the overall perception and cognition of the native speakers

Linguistic Determinism- The view that we represent all thinking linguistically (extreme view)

Question 7

What are the 2 skills needed for reading?

Answer 7

whole word recognition

phonetic decomposition

Question 8

Thinking

Answer 8

Any mental activity or processing of information, including learning, remembering, perceiving, communicating, believing and deciding.

Question 9

Cognitive Bias

Answer 9

systematic error in thinking

Question 10

Representative Heuristics

Answer 10

involves judging the probability of an event by its superficial similarity to a prototype

Question 11

Base Rate

Answer 11

general prevalence of a characteristic in a population.

Question 12

Availability Heuristics

Answer 12

involves estimating the likelihood of an occurrence based on the ease with which it comes to our minds

Question 13

Hindsight Bias

Answer 13

our tendency to overestimate how well we could have predicted something after it has already occurred

Question 14

Concept

Answer 14

ideas about a set of objects, actions, and characteristics that share core properties

Question 15

Decision Making

Answer 15

process of selecting a course of action

Question 16

Framing

Answer 16

the way information is presented or structured, which can influence perceptions and decisions

Question 17

Problem Solving

Answer 17

process of finding solutions to issues.

Question 18

Algorithm

Answer 18

step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem

Question 19

Mental Set

Answer 19

phenomenon of becoming stuck in a specific problem-solving strategy, inhibiting our ability to generate alternatives

Question 20

Functional Fixedness

Answer 20

Can you mount this candle on the wall, using only the supplies given?
- Measure of fluid IQ

Question 21

Language

Answer 21

Arbitrary system of communication that combines symbols, such as words or gestural signs, in rule-based ways to create meaning.

Question 22

Phoneme

Answer 22

~100 sounds humans can produce

Question 23

Morpheme

Answer 23

Smallest units of meaning

Question 24

Syntax

Answer 24

The set of rules of a language by which we construct sentences
Includes word order, morphological markers, and sentence structure

Real-world language rarely follows rules perfectly all the time

Question 25

Extralinguistic Information

Answer 25

Elements of communication that aren’t part of the content of language but are critical to interpreting its meaning.
Ex- tone or body language

Question 26

Sematics

Answer 26

study of meaning in language, focusing on how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning.

Question 27

Dialect

Answer 27

regional or social variation of a language that includes distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Question 28

Babbling

Answer 28

Refers to intentional vocalization that lacks meaning

Question 29

One- Word Stage

Answer 29

phase in language development where infants use single words to convey complete ideas or meanings.

Question 30

Sign Language

Answer 30

Type of language used by deaf communities that relies on visual communication

Question 31

Bilingual

Answer 31

The earlier the better.

Usually have one dominant language, but proficient in both

Question 32

Metalinguistic

Answer 32

awareness and understanding of language as a system

Question 33

Homesign

Answer 33

System of signs invented by children with hearing loss of hearing parents who receive no language input.

Question 34

Generative

Answer 34

the ability to create new combinations or forms.

Question 35

Nativist

Answer 35

belief that humans are born with an inherent ability to acquire language

Question 36

Language Acquisition Device

Answer 36

theoretical innate mechanism that enables language learning.

inherent set of grammatical rules and structures, allowing children to intuitively understand and generate language

Question 37

Social Pragmatics

Answer 37

Suggests that specific aspects of the social environment structure language learning

Question 38

Linguistic Determinism

Answer 38

The view that we represent all thinking linguistically (extreme view)- inner voice in your head

Question 39

Linguistic Relativity

Answer 39

A less radical view, wherein characteristics of language shape our thought processes (saphir- whorf)

Question 40

Whole World Recognition

Answer 40

ability to recognize entire words or phrases as single units, rather than decoding individual letters or sounds

Question 41

Phonetic Decomposition

Answer 41

How to sound out unfamiliar words