Language Flashcards

1
Q

Symbols, sound, meanings in combination that allows for communication among humans is known as

A

Language:

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2
Q

Language development is a result of an interaction of:

A

nature and nurture.

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3
Q

The Whorfian hypothesis of _____ _____ argued that language shapes thought

  • For example, the Hanunoo people of the Philippines have 92 names for rice which allows them to think about rice in more complex ways than Australians and New Zealanders.
A

linguistic relativity

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4
Q

Language facilitates the expression of complex concepts such as freedom, which are _____, multifaceted concepts that cannot be tied to specific _____. Further, _____ reasoning (defined as the process of drawing a conclusion from a set of premises), would be very difficult without the ability to verbalise the premises involved in this _____ process.

A

abstract, objects, deductive, reasoning

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5
Q

Elements of language

What is the smallest units of sound that constitute speech?

A

Phonemes

  • th, s, a
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6
Q

Elements of language

What is the smallest units of meaning?

A

Morphemes

  • anti, house , the -ing
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7
Q

Elements of language

Groups of words that act as a unit and convey meaning?

A

Phrases

  • in the den, the rain in Spain, ate the lolly
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8
Q

Elements of language

Organised sequences of words that express a rethought or intention are:

A

sentences

  • this house is old. Did you get milk?
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9
Q

_____ is organised _____, starting with _____ units of sound that are combined to form words and then sentences that convey complex meaning.

A

Language, hierarchically, small.

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10
Q

Elements of language

_____ are vowels and consonants that in the English language can be further pronounced in different ways to shape meaning

A

Phonemes

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11
Q

Elements of language

Phonemes combine to form _____ (the smallest units of meaning).

A

Morphemes

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12
Q

Elements of language

_____ include stand alone words such as ‘house’ as well as prefixes such as ‘anti’. Morphemes combine to form _____, and phrases are combined to form _____. These elements can be thought of as the building blocks of language.

A

Morphemes, phrases, sentences

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13
Q

Syntax is defined as the

A

“rules that govern the placement of words and phrases in a sentence”

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14
Q

Syntax is important in providing language _____

A

clarity

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15
Q

A key pioneer in linguistics is _____ ____.

A

Noam Chomsky

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16
Q

Chomsky views _____ (which includes _____) as a system for creating acceptable and unacceptable _____ utterances. Grammar is _____, once we know the rules of a language you can create an infinite number of sentences.

A

grammar, syntax, language, generative

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17
Q

The rules that govern meaning of morphemes, phrases and sentences

A

semantics

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18
Q

Syntax is defined as the “rules that govern the _____ of words and phrases in a sentence” Syntax differs from ____ in that semantics are the rules that govern _____ of morphemes, phrases and sentences.

A

placement, semantics, meaning

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19
Q

Syntax and semantics can be mapped to _____ _____ in the following areas respectively, Broca’s area in the left __-_____ cortex and Wernicke’s area in the left ____ lobe.

A

brain activation, pre-frontal, temporal

20
Q

The interaction between syntax and semantics is especially important in clarifying _____ meaning in sentences

A

ambiguous

21
Q

Syntax and semantics are not processed in a _____ order but rather simultaneously in ____, each impacting on the other to help an individual identify the intended meaning of a sentence

A

linear, parallel

22
Q

We usually only become ______ ____ of the mechanics of this process when one or more elements _____ _____ fit or is so unclear we cannot interpret it. Even in this instance we are motivated to interpret around the syntactical and/or semantic errors in order to come to some meaningful interpretation

A

consciously aware, does not

23
Q

The way people ordinarily speak, hear, read and write in interconnected sentences is called:

A

Discourse

24
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

People represent discourse at multiple levels:

A

Exact wording
Gist or general meaning
Suspended reality (different time or place)
Communication (story telling, idea sharing)
Conversation

25
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

______ of language is the way language is used and understood in everyday life.

A

Pragmatics

26
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

Researchers in discourse point out that all language occurs within a larger _____ or _____ that influences meaning.

A

discourse or context

27
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

In addition to syntax and semantics are ____.

A

pragmatics

28
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

Exact wording is the ____ level, where the exact word(s) are held in _____ briefly to enable interpretation.

A

lowest, memory

29
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

_____ - is the _____ meaning of a phrase or sentence and is usually retained while the exact words will be _____. Gists can also involve inferences which can fill in any gaps that may exist in a sentence.

A

Gist, general, forgotten

30
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

______ _____ is discourse that transports us to a different time and place.

A

Suspended reality

31
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

Human discourse is _____ in that it transcends the current _____ and enables us to think of other places we have been or even have not encountered before.

A

flexible, context

32
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

_______ is essentially the sharing or ideas and experiences. Communication reflects what the communicator is trying to do.

A

Communication

33
Q

Discourse on multiple levels

Conversation is the ____ level of discourse, which can include story telling, a question, a phrase the imbeds a gist etc.

A

, broadest,

34
Q

Nonverbal communication includes:

A
Vocal intonation
Body language (crossed arms)
Gestures (often involving the hands)
Physical distance
Facial expressions
Touch
Nonverbal vocalisations (throat clearing)
35
Q

Language development - The case for nurture:

A
  • Skinner (a behaviourist) argued that children imitate the utterances of their parents
36
Q

Language development - The case for nurture

Skinner suggests that children receive differential _____ for speech sounds

A

reinforcement

37
Q

Language development - The case for nurture

Parents use ____ reinforcement and _____ to teach ____

A

positive, shaping, language

38
Q

Language development - The case for nature:

Chomksy argued that language acquisition appears to be universal across _____ (could not be accounted for by learning)

A

culture

39
Q

Language development

Children can use complex ____ rules long before they develop other ____ processes (mathematics)

A

grammatical, mental

40
Q

Language development

_____ _____ _____ (LAD): an innate set of neural structures for acquiring language

A

Language Acquisition Device

41
Q

_____ periods assume that an organism must _____ a function within a _____ time frame or it will not develop at all.

A

Critical, develop, limited

42
Q

Critical period examples

A

Children easily learn second languages, adults have great difficulty.
Isolated children have language impairments (e.g., Genie).
After age 12, near native fluency is difficult to achieve.

43
Q

A defining feature of language is:

A

the fact that language symbols are arbitrary

44
Q

According to research, children exposed to language without proper grammar will:

A

infuse their language with grammatical skills that they have not been taught

45
Q

The reason that languages other than our native language are difficult to learn in life seems to be:

A

the result of a failure to get early exposure to the sounds in the new language

46
Q

Some researchers are now studying the way people ordinarily speak, hear, read and write in interconnected sentences. This form of research is called __________.

A

analysis of discourse