Language Flashcards
Communication v language
Communication is the transfer of info
Not all communication is language but most language is communication
Language is not communication when: its a mental monologue, speech by the last speaker of a dying language, speech between people in different misunderstood languages
Psych Theories in language
Behaviourist: role of reinforcement in language acquisition (parent gets banana when kid says banana) Skinner
Cognitive: reinforcement alone isn’t enough (children say things they’re never heard - l eated instead of ate)
Chomskys universal grammar: language is coded in our genes, the underlying basis of all human language is similar
Universal features
- First and second person (me and you)
- Ways of asking and answering questions
- Hierarchical - sounds make words, words make sentences
- Rules (syntax) for how things should be joined
- have a wayof communicating idea
- change over time
Unique but the same
Non-universal features
Not all languages have: • Numbers • nouns • past and present tense • based on sound (sign language)
Recursion
Repeated use of linguistic element to infinitely make different sentences
Conjunctive: I got sick, and so did Alex and so did Ben
Possessor: I borrowed Alex’s friends, cousins, mums, dogs car
Some state is a universal feature
Dan Everett claims Brazilian tribe doesn’t have it (Hard to verify)
Universality
All humans cultures have language
Language development is similar
Why are signs not language
- Fixed meanings
- cannot be combined with fixed rules to make New meanings
- cannot convey any possible intended meaning
- cannot be combined recursively
