Language & Communication Flashcards
Language
a system for communicating with others using signals that are combined according to rules of grammar and that convey meaning
Grammar
a set of rules that specify how the units of language can be combined to produce meaningful messages
Is understanding passive or active?
Passive
Is speech passive or active?
active
How many human languages are there?
4,000
Phonemes
the smallest units of sounds that are recognizable as speech rather than as random noise
Phonological rules
indicate how phonemes can be combined to produce speech sounds
Morphemes
the smallest meaningful units of language
What are the 2 categories of grammar rules?
Morphological rules and syntactic rules
Morphological rules
indicate how morphemes can be combined to form words
Content morphemes
things and events (cat, dog, take)
Function morphemes
grammatical functions, such as tying sentences together (and, or, but) or indicating time (when)
Syntactic rules
indicate how words can be combined to form phrases and sentences
Can infants distinguish among speech sounds?
Yes
Can infants produce speech sounds?
No
Babbling
combinations of vowels and consonants that sound like real syllables but are meaningless
Behaviorist explanation for learning
We learn to talk through reinforcement, shaping, extinction, and other basic principles of operant conditioning
Nativist explanation for learning
language development is best explained as an innate, biological capacity
Universal grammar
a collection of processes that facilitate language learning
Genetic dysphasia
a syndrome characterized by an inability to learn the grammatical structure of language despite having otherwise normal intelligence
Can language only be acquired during a restricted period of development?
Yes
Interactionist explanation for learning
Although infants are born with an innate ability to acquire language, social interactions play a crucial role in language
Parents tailor their verbal interactions with children in ways that simplify the language acquisition process
