Chapter 9: Language Flashcards
What is Language?
set of symbols used to communicate. Can be spoken, signed or written
-developed from gesture and social interaction
What is Grammar?
Set of rules that specify how the units of language can be combined to produce meaningful meaning
What are pragmatics?
practical aspects of language usage, including speech pace and gesturing, looking at words past their literal meanings
Components of language?
-Language Production
-Speech
-Language Comprehension
What is Language Production?
The generation/expression of thought through words
What is Speech?
The expression of language through sounds
What is Language comprehension?
The process of understanding spoken, written or signed language
What are Phonemes? give an example?
Smallest unit of sound in a language
Dog has 3 phonemes: ‘D’ ‘o’ ‘g’
What is Phonology?
The study of how individual sounds or phonemes are used to produce language
What are semantics?
Study of how the meaning in language is constructed of individual words and sentences
What are Morphemes? give an example?
smallest units of language that convey meaning
Jumped
-‘Jump’ (Physical action)
-‘ed’ (Past tense)
Lexical Meaning
Dictionary meaning of a word, which can change over time
Non-Verbal Communication meaning?
Body language communication
Syntax meaning?
The system of words and arranging them in order to a convey meaning
What are the 3 theories of language development
Nativism
Behaviourism
Interaction View
Who discovered Nativism?
Noam Chomsky
What was the main argument of Nativism?
Argues that language is innate, children being born with a sense of grammar via their LAD (Language Acquisition Device) which allows children to differentiate language, hence why children can learn so easily (universal Grammar)
-Also that everyone has a critical period, which is the perfect time to expose children to a language. Passed this period, it may be difficult to learn a new language fluently
Explain LAD?
Language Acquisition Device
-Part of the brain which allows children to differenciate various languages via the universal grammar
-Allowing children to learn languages without problems during the critical period
Explain Universal Grammar?
all languages share common structural principles, and children are born with an inherent understanding of these rules
-Explains why children can learn language with different environments
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Nativism theory of Language?
Strengths:
-LAD + UG (universal grammar) explanation for why children can learn no matter their environment
Weaknesses:
-Lack of empirical data to prove LAD
-Downplays substantial role of environment effect on child development
Who discovered Behaviourism?
B.F. Skinner
Explain the Behaviouristic explanation of language?
Stated that language is learned through operation conditioning, which includes the act of rewarding and punishing
-As babies are given rewards for a word/sound, they are more likely to repeat that word/sound
-All about imitating words/sounds from the environment
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Behaviourism theory of Language?
Strengths:
-Highlights the role of the child’s environment
-Reinforcement can assist babies in learning smaller phrases over time
Weaknesses:
-Loss of generativity
-Speech errors such as: Overregularization, Under-extension, Overextension
Explain Generativity
the infinite # of ways to put units of language together “creativity”
Explain Overregularization + Example
The excess use of grammatical rules
Example: “I wented” instead of “I went”
Explain Overextension + Example
The broad use of words by a child, which is applied to concepts that do not represent its definition
-Child calls her dad “daddy”, so she calls every adult male daddy
Explain Underextension + Example
The narrow use of words by a child, which is applied to concepts that the child is only used to
-Child might call her pants “jeans”, but cannot call other jeans “jeans”
Explain the Interactive View of Language?
Combines the theories of Nativism and Behaviourism by explaining that the brain is set up for language determination/categorization but hearing similar words used in every context of our daily lives can also develop language.
The use of Social Interactions is key for ideal learning at an early age
Ways Caregivers support word learning?
Toy Engagement
Shared Experiences
Scaffold sound/word learning
Continuous communication with infant to help direct their speech and word segmentation
Rich emotional expression (bonding)
Gesturing (referential ability)
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs within 1-5 months?
Crying, cooing, laughing, beginning of babbling
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs within 6 months?
Reduplicative babbling which includes various use of phonemes and constant vowel sounds
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs within 10 months?
Baby then resembles surrounding language (jargon’s stage) “patterned speech”
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs within 1 year?
Baby speaks first words, simple single words
-Receptive + expressive language begins
Explain Receptive + Expressive Language
Receptive Language
-The ability to understand language input, via spoken, written, gestures or non-verbal cues
Expressive Language
-The ability to express one’s thoughts, ideas or feelings by spoken, written, gestures or non-verbal cues
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs within 18-24 months?
-Increase in vocabulary, which leads to over/under-extensions
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs at the end of 2nd year?
-baby begins telegraphic speech, meaning they’re able to combine words with morphemes
“He jumped high”
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs at the end of 3rd year?
Complex idea formations, with early grammar of plural and past tense
-Over-regularization tends to occur
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs at 3 years old?
Child begins to understand basic pragmatics, able to convey messages past their literal meaning. Also pausing between sentences
What is the critical Milestone in language development that occurs at 4 years old?
Baby understands rules of grammar without any formal education
Explain Fast-mapping vs Slow-mapping
Fast-mapping
-learning via repetitive exposure, fast but may forget if not reviewed later
Slow-mapping
-Learning to understand the word, and how it can be used in different contexts.
Can we apply the same rules of
acquisition to languages learned later in life?
Not really as the individual’s critical period has passed
Why are adults have such a
heard time learning another
language?
Less neuroplasticity
Our environment:
-As children, we are given the opportunity to learn; no jobs or other responsibilities; just learning
-If were able to recreate an environment as such, perhaps adults may be able to learn as frequently
Advantages of being bilingual?
Learning a second language increases the ability of left parietal lobe to handle linguistic demands
-also increased executive functioning of the brain (choosing what to pay attention to, tune out, process new info)
-juggle more tasks easily
Disadvantages of being bilingual?
-slightly slower language processing speed
Explain Deb Roy’s Experiment on child speech development? and the results?
Dr. Deb Roy placed cameras around his house, and recorded the development of his child from birth to the age of 3, collected the data to study further
-His findings saw that
1. Words develop through a simplified linguistic environment
- caregivers use simple language + repetition to improve the child’s speech
- Social Interaction is key
-Having a parent with the child improved the child’s learning ability + repetition
