Exam 3 (Psycholinguistics) Flashcards
Psycholinguistics
the study of language as it is learned and used
What is restricted context?
- In non-human languages (e.g. dogs, apes, bees), communication is predictable
- non-humans don’t naturally combine sounds or gestures into sentences
What are the 5 criterion of language?
- semanticity
- generative
- displacement
- structure via rules
- arbitrariness
semanticity
language conveys meaning
Generative/productive
finite number of sounds -> unlimited number or words -> infinite number of sentences
Displacement
Can convey info about another time and/or place
Structure via rules
things you are and aren’t supposed to say, grammar
arbitrariness
sounds and written symbols are both arbitrary in meaning (e.g. a giraffe is a giraffe because we assigned it that name)
What are the 3 components of spoken language?
Phonemes, morphemes, and grammar
Phoneme
Smallest unit of sound that affects meaning
sound units we need to get in the right order to understand the meaning of words
Ex. difference between /p/ie and /d/ie
How many phonemes are there in English? Is it a large amount?
44, no
Phonemes can produce ____ perception
categorical
e.g. /ba/ and /ga/ gradient, jumping from one phoneme to another (as opposed to continuous)
Morpheme
Smallest meaningful units
e.g. “s” = makes things plural
Grammar
Rules of lanugage
What are the 3 components of grammar?
Syntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
Syntax
rules for combining morphemes (e.g. English - red house, Spanish - casa roja)
Semantics
rules of meaning
Pragmatics
social rules of language use
What 4 things must an acceptable set of grammar rules accomplish?
- generate acceptable sentences
- reject unacceptable sentences
- explain why different sentences or phrases can have the same meaning
- explain ambiguity
Structural ambiguity
e.g. the rat is too hot to eat