Chapter 8- Language Flashcards
What is pidgin? How does creole differ from pidgin?
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.
Name & describe the 4 levels of language in the book:
a. Phonology & phonemes
b. Morphology & morphemes
c. Syntax
d. Extralinguistic information
- What is a critical period? What is the suggested critical period for language?
time frame during development when an organism is particularly receptive to acquiring certain skills or knowledge.
critical period for language- birth to around puberty.
- What two animal species show some language elements?
Dolphins and Apes
Language Development- When do the different aspects of language begin?
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
Briefly describe the 2 theories on the relation between thought and language
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)
What are the 2 skills needed for reading?
whole word recognition
phonetic decomposition
Thinking
Any mental activity or processing of information, including learning, remembering, perceiving, communicating, believing and deciding.
Cognitive Bias
systematic error in thinking
Representative Heuristics
involves judging the probability of an event by its superficial similarity to a prototype
Base Rate
general prevalence of a characteristic in a population.
Availability Heuristics
involves estimating the likelihood of an occurrence based on the ease with which it comes to our minds
Hindsight Bias
our tendency to overestimate how well we could have predicted something after it has already occurred
Concept
ideas about a set of objects, actions, and characteristics that share core properties
Decision Making
process of selecting a course of action
Framing
the way information is presented or structured, which can influence perceptions and decisions
Problem Solving
process of finding solutions to issues.
Algorithm
step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem
Mental Set
phenomenon of becoming stuck in a specific problem-solving strategy, inhibiting our ability to generate alternatives
Functional Fixedness
Can you mount this candle on the wall, using only the supplies given?
- Measure of fluid IQ
Language
Arbitrary system of communication that combines symbols, such as words or gestural signs, in rule-based ways to create meaning.
Phoneme
~100 sounds humans can produce
Morpheme
Smallest units of meaning
Syntax
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
Extralinguistic Information
Elements of communication that aren’t part of the content of language but are critical to interpreting its meaning.
Ex- tone or body language
Sematics
study of meaning in language, focusing on how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning.
Dialect
regional or social variation of a language that includes distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
Babbling
Refers to intentional vocalization that lacks meaning
One- Word Stage
phase in language development where infants use single words to convey complete ideas or meanings.
Sign Language
Type of language used by deaf communities that relies on visual communication
Bilingual
The earlier the better.
Usually have one dominant language, but proficient in both
Metalinguistic
awareness and understanding of language as a system
Homesign
System of signs invented by children with hearing loss of hearing parents who receive no language input.
Generative
the ability to create new combinations or forms.
Nativist
belief that humans are born with an inherent ability to acquire language
Language Acquisition Device
theoretical innate mechanism that enables language learning.
inherent set of grammatical rules and structures, allowing children to intuitively understand and generate language
Social Pragmatics
Suggests that specific aspects of the social environment structure language learning
Linguistic Determinism
The view that we represent all thinking linguistically (extreme view)- inner voice in your head
Linguistic Relativity
A less radical view, wherein characteristics of language shape our thought processes (saphir- whorf)
Whole World Recognition
ability to recognize entire words or phrases as single units, rather than decoding individual letters or sounds
Phonetic Decomposition
How to sound out unfamiliar words
