Lecture 10 (start exam 2) Flashcards
L__ is a symbolic system:
Symbols: Systems of representing our t__, f__, and k__, and for c__ them to other people
language
thoughts, feelings, knowledge
communicating
Successful language development involves:
Comprehension: Required to develop language skills; refers to u__ what others s__ (or s__ or w__)
Production: Refers to s__ (or s__ or w__)
understanding, say, sign, write
speaking, signing, writing
Learning theory approach (S__):
- emphasizes e__ (n__)
- r__, i__
Brown and Hanlon Study:
concluded was that parents mostly correct their children for t__-value, that is whether they have said something that is true or not. They found that while some feedback may be provided for mispronunciations and lexical errors, parents rarely correct the grammaticality of sentences and interpretations of their children’s utterances. For this reason, generative and usage-based researchers alike have reached a consensus that children do not receive n__ evidence. The drawback is that this leaves us with no solution to the issue of how children come to know what sentences are ungrammatical in their language
skinner
environment, nurture
reinforcement, imitation
truth
negative
Nativist approach (C__, P__)
-emphasizes n__
universal grammar: a proposed set of highly a__, u__ rules that are common to a__ languages
modularity hypothesis: human brain contains a module specific to l__.
only minimal i__ necessary
chomsky, pinker
nature
abstract, unconscious, all
language
input
TODAY: I___ approaches
-children may have i__ b__, but s__ c__ also important
Language development requires:
- A human b__
- E__ with a human language
interactionist
innate biases, social context
brain
experience
A Human Brain
Language is s__-s__, meaning that only humans acquire language in the normal course of development.
Language is s__-u__, meaning that language learning is achieved by typically developing infants across the globe.
species-specific
species-universal
Can non-human animals acquire language?
__.
[Vocabulary? __. Syntax? __.]
Syntax = the r__ in a language that specify how words can be c__. Syntax is a d__ feature of language.
A Human Environment – exposure to l__.
no.
yes, no
rules, combined
defining
language
infant-directed speech (IDS)
-characteristics (Fernald & Simon)
higher p__, increased pitch r__
s__ & e__ pitch contours
s__ sentences, c__ pronunciation, p__.
babies p__ it
4-month-olds
Operant preference method
pitch, range
smoothed, expanded
short, clear, pauses
prefer
Function of IDS
language acquisition – yes, but not u__.
to convey e__
approval vs. prohibition study: 8-9-month-olds
cross the words and the “tunes”
object rolls into reach, infant hears message
record how long infant plays with the toy – __ more important than __!
(AKA, it didn’t matter if the voice said “Yes, good boy!” or “No, don’t touch!” if the pitch used IDS)
universal
emotion
tune, message
Categorical perception: perception of s__ sounds as belonging to d__ categories.
How do speech sounds differ?
-Voice Onset Time (VOT): length of time between when air passes through the l__ and when the vocal cords start v__.
How do we know that adults perceive speech sounds categorically?
ba vs. pa; ba1 vs. ba2
both pairs have equivalent d__ in VOT.
speech, discrete
lips, vibrating
differences
Do infants have categorical perception? (Eimas)
1- & 4-month olds
Babies made __ cross-category distinctions as adults.
In fact, young infants can make __ discriminations than their parents!
language general set of speech c__
same
more
contrasts
When do infants lose this higher categorical perception ability?
Effects of experience on speech sound perception.
- Certain sound contrasts are used in some languages, but not in others.
different /t/ and /T/ in Hindi
/k/ and /q/ in Thompson language
adults have trouble making contrasts not used in their language (p__ n__).
BUT…infants are sensitive to __ contrasts!!
Infants lose sensitivity to sound distinctions not made in native language by 1 year.
Hindi and Thompson-learning infants don’t lose ability to make c__.
perceptual narrowing
all
1
contrasts
