Goo Goo GaGa Flashcards
What are the major theories of language acquisition?
Learning theory, nativist theory, social interactionist theory
These theories outline different perspectives on how individuals acquire language.
According to learning theory, how does language development occur?
Language development is the result of imitation and reinforcement
This theory suggests that language is learned through environmental interactions.
What does nativist theory propose about language acquisition?
Humans are biologically programmed to acquire language
This theory posits that language ability is innate.
What is Chomsky’s concept of the language acquisition device (LAD)?
An inborn linguistic processor that enables understanding and speaking language
Chomsky’s theory emphasizes the biological basis of language acquisition.
What evidence supports Chomsky’s nativist theory?
- All languages have the same basic underlying grammatical structure
- Children pass through the same stages of language acquisition at similar ages
These observations suggest a universal grammar.
What does social interactionist theory emphasize in language acquisition?
A combination of biological and social factors
This perspective argues that social interaction is crucial for language development.
What is child-directed speech?
Speech that caregivers use when talking to young children, characterized by specific features
Also known as parentese, it aids language development.
List the five major components of language.
- Phonology
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Semantics
- Pragmatics
These components are essential for understanding how language functions.
What is phonology?
The rules for using phonemes, the smallest units of sound in a language
Each language has a limited number of phonemes.
Define morphology in the context of language.
The rules governing the use of morphemes, the smallest units of language that have meaning
Morphemes can be free or bound.
Differentiate between free morphemes and bound morphemes.
- Free morphemes: Stand alone as words (e.g., test, certain)
- Bound morphemes: Must be combined with other morphemes (e.g., un in uncertain)
An example of a complex morpheme is ‘unspeakable’.
What is syntax?
Rules that determine how words can be combined into sentences
Syntax varies across languages.
Explain semantics.
The meaning of words, phrases, and sentences, focusing on their literal meaning
Semantics deals with understanding actual meanings.
What does pragmatics refer to in language?
The use and meaning of verbal and nonverbal language in different social contexts
Pragmatic skills include turn-taking, appropriate language use, and body language understanding.
What are the three types of cries identified in infants?
- Low-pitched rhythmic cry: Signals hunger or discomfort
- Shrill, less regular cry: Signals anger or frustration
- Loud high-pitched cry: Signals pain
Each type of cry serves a different communicative purpose.
True or False: Research has consistently shown the best way to respond to an infant’s crying.
False
Studies have produced inconsistent results regarding effective responses.
What did Bell and Ainsworth (1972) find about responding to crying infants?
Quick and consistent responses lead to less crying in subsequent months
Their findings suggest a benefit to responsive parenting.
What contrasting finding did van IJzendoorn and Hubbard (2000) report?
Ignoring crying infants led to less frequent crying in the following weeks
Their study challenges the conclusions of Bell and Ainsworth.
What do some experts suggest regarding parental responses to infant crying?
Optimal response depends on the severity of the infant’s cries
This approach may help infants learn to regulate their distress.
What is cooing and when does it begin?
Cooing begins at six to eight weeks of age and involves repeating vowel-like sounds (e.g., “ooo” and “aaaeeeooo”).
At what age does babbling begin and what does it entail?
Babbling begins at three to six months of age with single consonant-vowel combinations such as “ba” and “goo.”
What is canonical babbling?
Canonical babbling is the repetition of consonant-vowel combinations such as “mamamama” and “babababa.”
Define variegated babbling.
Variegated babbling consists of different consonant-vowel combinations in a single utterance, such as “bamagubu.”
What happens to a child’s babbling by about 9 months of age?
It narrows to the sounds and intonation patterns of the child’s native language.
How do congenitally deaf infants babble compared to hearing infants?
They babble less frequently, consist of a more limited range of sounds, and their vocalizations decrease unless provided with hearing aids or cochlear implants.
What is echolalia and when does it begin?
Echolalia begins at about 9 months of age and involves repeating speech sounds and words uttered by another person without understanding their meaning.
At what age do children typically say their first words?
Children usually say their first words to express meaning between 10 to 15 months of age.
What is the vocabulary spurt and when does it occur?
Beginning at about 18 months of age, children exhibit a rapid increase in vocabulary known as the vocabulary spurt.
Define holophrastic speech.
Holophrastic speech involves using a single word to express an entire thought, with meaning depending on context and tone.
What is telegraphic speech and when do children begin to use it?
Telegraphic speech consists of two content words and omits function words, beginning between 18 and 24 months of age.
What is the critical period for language acquisition?
The critical period refers to a strong negative relationship between age of exposure to language and language proficiency.
What evidence suggests different critical periods for language aspects?
Studies indicate full proficiency with grammar, syntax, and phonetics requires early exposure, while semantics and vocabulary size are less affected.
What is the role of language exposure for deaf and hard-of-hearing children?
Exposure to language from birth is essential for language development, supporting cognitive and socioemotional development.
What is overextension in language development?
Overextension occurs when a child uses a word too broadly, such as using “doggie” for all furry, four-legged animals.
Define underextension.
Underextension occurs when a child uses a word too narrowly, like using “doggie” to refer only to the family pet.
What is overregularization in language errors?
Overregularization occurs when a child misapplies rules for plurals and past tense, such as saying “foots” instead of “feet.”
What does paralanguage refer to?
Paralanguage refers to how something is said, including prosody, tone, intonation, and nonlinguistic sounds.
What is language brokering?
Language brokering is the act of translating and interpreting within immigrant families by children and adolescents.
List the positive effects of language brokering.
- Development of strong interpersonal skills
- High levels of self-confidence
- Academic self-efficacy
What is code-switching?
Code-switching refers to bi- and multilingual speakers’ use of more than one language or language variety within a single interaction.
True or False: Code-switching is always a conscious act.
False.
