language Flashcards
4 aspects of language
phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmantics
phonology
basic perceptual units of speech
Building blocks
Smallest unit of sound that contributes to meaning
how many phonemes in English?
45
syntax
Language follows rules – a descriptive grammar (syntax)
descriptive grammar
set of rules about language based on how it is actually used –> no right/wrong language
prescriptive grammar
which is a set of rules based on how people think language should be used
Chomsky on language
Creativity & uniqueness, but governed by the rules
Innate mechanism containing all the grammatical rules common to all languages –> emerged suddenly in evolution
Makes use of specialised brain systems
similar to Descartes
Thoughts and language are intertwined/connected
semantics
Basic building blocks
Morphemes (type of semantic)
the smallest units of language that carry meaning
content morphemes
A word that has meaning just on its own (verb, adjective, or noun)
ex: bull, picnic, quiet
Function morphemes
The, and, that, he, a, (s), (ed) (ing)
Suffixes + prefixes
Grammatical functions
assignment of meaning is…
arbitrary
- No direct resemblance between symbols and objects they refer to
What is the difference between syntax & semantics?
syntax: grammar
semantics: meaning
ex: ‘Colourless green ideas sleep furiously’
^ correct syntax, but semantically empty
Pragmatics
Influence of context and world knowledge on language use
Need to use more than the literal meaning of words to work out the true meaning
which side of the brain is responsible for verbal humour and to understand cartoons
right hemisphere
broca’s area
Seems to be especially important for language production + syntax
damage to broca’s area (broca’s aphasia)
Speech is slow, laboured & ungrammatical
Many content words, few function words
Comprehension is relatively spared → very frustrating, can understand what people are saying, but can’t get your own words/meaning out
Comprehension problems if speech is syntactically complex
wernicke’s aphasia
Comprehension problems
Speech is fluent, but semantically empty
neologisms (Words that appear to be made up on the spot)
language is…
generativ (a discrete combinatorial system)
left hemisphere in infants regarding language
- Increased blood flow to left hemisphere of brain for normal speech
- LEFT HEMISPHERE: Already ready to receive language
motherese
child-directed speech
High pitched tone of voice
Slow speech
Exaggerated intonation
May help infants to parse the speech signal?
Helps them work out where the phonemes are and where the distinction between words are
one word stage in infants
- content words
- overextension errors (‘Dada’ – to mean any man)
- underextension errors (Car means the family car, but not other cars)
two word stage (telegraphic speech)
String words together
Content words
function words still absent
- beginning of syntax (order of words are important –> mummy throw)
stage after the two-word stage
- “all hell breaks loose” Pinker
- Not only learning new vocabulary, but also learning the structure of sentences → different ways of putting the vocab they’ve learned together
- explosion of vocab
case of Genie
found at age 14
Failure of normal language development
- hard to understand GRAMMAR
case of Isabelle
found at age 6
OG: no language
by age 7: joined 2nd grade –> normal IQ
Gradualist view of language
Emphasises mental continuity between humans & animals
We have a lot more in common with animals, in terms of our thought process
Language is just another layer on top of the thinking processes that we share with other animals
Language = enabling us to COMMUNICATE our thoughts more reflectively to others
The gestural theory of language evolution (2 stages)
1st stage: Language was primarily used as hand gestures and body movements (not much evidence, more inferential)
2nd stage: speech
