Child Development - Language Flashcards
What is phonology?
The sound fo the language
What is semantics?
Expressed meaning of words and sentences. The meaning of morphemes (a meaningful morphological unit of a language that cannot be further divided (e.g. in, come, -ing, forming incoming ). This can be prefixes or suffixes such as (-ed which means past). It can also include small words such as single syllables.
What is syntax?
The form or structure of a language. A combination of rules for meaningful sentences. Any change in word order causes the meaning to change.
What is pragmatics?
Rules about the language is social context - I.e. it is knowing what to say, when to say its and how to say it.
What are the stages of language acquisition?
- Prelinguistic period (0-12 months): Children cry (3-4 weeks), coo (3-5 weeks) and babble (3-4 months). They start adding constants and echolalia (sound repetition). In the first few months children learn about lan gauge in a social context - they learn about intonation, turn taking and the facts some words have meaning.
- They appreciate the meaning of words (12 months). They learnt to associate an object with a word (8-12 months). At 18 moths the sound becomes symbolic representation. A word is used as a substitute for objects. They start to communicate and often overextend.
- They begin adult speech at 2 years. Here they have a rapid increase in words, complexity of speech and begin a narrative.
What is telegraphic speech?
A form of communication consisting of simple two-word long sentences often composed of a noun and a verb that adhere to grammatical standards. It is a concise sentence e.g. ‘more high’, ‘no bed’ or ‘no home’.
What is Skinners views on language acquisition?
Language is learned. Language is learned by imitation, leading to progressive reinforcement. This is through joint involvement interactions, social input and one-to-one interactions.
What is Chomsky views on language acquisition?
He hypothesised, there are inborn structures in our brain – a language acquisition device (LAD) – that enables us to organise spoken language that we hear in various grammatical ways. Without this, we could not get started as language learners. He describes over thousands of years; our CNS has evolved to be specialised in language. It takes up a large amount of space in one or both of our hemispheres.
What is motherese?
The way in which mothers often talk to their young children. It is child-directed speech.
What is the main features of biologically programmed behaviour?
It is spontaneous - it is reinvented generation after generation.
What s the critical period hypothesis?
Lenneberg’s critical period hypothesis states that there are maturational constraints on the time a first language can be acquired. Children before age 12, born in bilingual households can speak both languages without contaminated of both languages.
How does human language compare with animal language?
1950s Washoe was taught ASL
Koko – a gorilla – was taught ASL. It is the longest study. They started simple with 3 signs and after one month, the gorilla was using sign language to make simple requests, at 2 she was able to form short phrases. She was then able to understand spoken English and knows over 1000 words in ASL. She could also translate English to ASL.
What are lexigrams?
Symbol representing a word, especially one used in learning a language.
How does language acquisition compare in deaf children?
Deaf children with hearing parents
- Show similar language milestones as hearing children
- Use at 18 months – use the sign for me. This is the same time a child recognises themselves in a mirror. They start to put two signs together at 18-25
What is Broca’s area?
The area in the brain associated with language expression and the production of language. It is connected to the motor area.
