lecture 8 - language and problem solving Flashcards
langauge
communication system that relies on patterns and rules of symbols
- not just spoken but also visual (reading lips)
arbitrariness
symbols don’t always match what were reffering to.
- doesnt actually tell you anything about something
exceptions: onomatopias (crash sounds like what it is)
purpose of language
to convey info, socialize, emotion and art
language levels
- phonemes
- morphemes
- syntax
- extralinguistic
phonemes
- smallest unit of sounds
- english has like 40-45
- individual sounds that if put together, make words
- ex: th, ai, s, t, oi, igh, ng
morphemes
- smallest units of meaning
- combination of phonemes
- sometimes single phonemes
ex: cat + s cats (cat is one and
ex: playing = play and ing (play, replay, playing)
syntax
set of rules to construct sentences
- ex: verb + object
= the boy eats apples
- not: apple the eat boy
extralinguistic information
non-verbal and context cues that add meaning to language
- body language, voice tone, context
- ex: i am refusing this date - could mean a variety of things, you need more context
dialect
language variations used by a group of people who share geographic proximity of ethnic background
ex: saying camp vs chalte vs cabin vs cottage
opposing views on language
- noam chomsky: language is biologically determined
- skinner: language through operant conditioning
critical period for language
small window of time where we are more likely to learn language.
- maximized in like first 5-6 years of life
language stages
- prenatal
- babbling
- comprehend vs production
- first words
- telegraphic speech
- conversations
prenatal
- preference for mother voice
- fetus is able to distinguish mother’s voice from others
- can also recognize specific song/stories from the womb
babbling
- produce and repeat single syllabi
- practice motor movements by babbling
comprehend vs production
- understand language before we can speak it