Language Acquisition Flashcards
cognition theory
based on the cognitive-psychological approach
imitation theory
based on an empirical or behavioral approach
language
a conditioned behavior and the stimulus-response process
language acquisition
a process of experience
B. F. Skinner
main figure of imitation theory
phonetics
the sounds of a language
phonology
sound patterns of a language
morphology
rules of word-formation
syntax
how words combine into phrases and/or sentences
semantics
how to derive meaning from a sentence
pragmatics
how to properly use language in context
innateness hypothesis
our ability to acquire language is genetically encoded
universal grammar
the set of structural characteristics shared by all languages
reinforcement theory
children learn through positive and negative reinforcement
connectionist theory
exposure to a language develops and strengthens neural connections
stages of development: prelinguistic
babies make noises but are not babbling
sensitive to native and non-native sound distinctions
stages of development: babbling
starts around 6 months of age
pitch and intonation resemble language spoken around them
stages of development: one-word
starts around 12 months of age
one-word utterances
typically one-syllable words
better perception than production
stages of development: two-word stage
occur in a fixed order (e.g., action+object, entity+location, demonstrative+entity)
stages of development: beyond two-word stage
begins using function words
learning word order and position of determiners
