Child development - language Flashcards
Factors of language
Phonology, Semantics, Syntax and Pragmatics
Phonology
Awareness of the SOUND of language, phonemes, combination rules for meaningful speech (eg st instead of sg)
Semantics
MEANINGS of words and sentences, understanding of morphemes (eg. prefixes suffixes and small words)
Syntax
Form of a STRUCTURE of language
Pragmatics
RULES about language in SOCIAL contexts, ‘what to say and how you say it’ (eg. Please and thank you)
Pre-linguistic period
(0-12 months)
1) Crying occurs in first 3-4 weeks,
2) Cooing occurs from week 3-5 onwards,
3) Babbling from 3-4 months onwards, the addition of consonants and sound repetition (echolalia). –> Dialogue returned by caregivers, learn turn talking intonation and that words have meaning
Words as representation of objects
8-12 months - associate object with its name + use of verbal labels (though they may not be representative)
18 months - true symbolic representation, word as substitute for object, used for communication
Telegraphic speech
18-24 months - Convey meaning but lack, Syntax and Pragmatics (eg. no bed)
Complexity- 2 years +
Adding verbs, compound sentences, use of past tense but existence of logical errors
Years 3-5
Interests in rhymes, songs, commentaries during play and pre sleep monologues. Show the emergence of Narrative
Modes of Thought
Propositional -verbal language
Imagine - visual imagery
Language Acquisition (skinner vs chomsky)
Skinner - language is learned (imitation and progressive reinforcement)
Chomsky - language acquisition device (linguistics is innate)
Learning a Language
Joint involvement episodes - social input, use of 1 to 1 sessions and baby talk
A Biologically Programmed Behaviour
language is reinvented from generation to generation
Critical Period Hypothesis (Lenneberg )
Lenneberg - children before the age of 12 are; bilingual with no accent, can recover language after head injury, it is a sensitive but non critical period
