limba 1

Question 1

What is language?

Answer 1

A system of symbols and rules that enable us to communicate.
Symbols are things that stand for other things.
The rules specify how words are ordered to form sentences.

Question 2

Is language uniquely human?

Answer 2

Bonobo chimpanzee
- underwent extensive training
- by age 14: 3000 word vocabulary

BUT
- language competence worse than child
- produces few novel sentences

Question 3

What might animals struggle with in language?

Answer 3

1. Associating words with concepts: knowing that the word chair is a chair
2. Putting words together: grandad stat on a chair

This is effortlessly achieved by a child. But how?

Question 3

What is Skinner’s perspective on how we acquire language?

Answer 3

Linguistic behaviour is dependent on:
1. Environmental stimuli
2. The speaker’s history of reinforcement

Operant conditioning: language is acquired through reinforcement and punishment

Question 4

What is Chomsky argument against Skinner?

Answer 4

Language is more than a set of behavioural dispositions.
Language requires knowledge of rules and conventions.

Question 4

What are criticisms of Skinners’s perspective?

Answer 4

Children are not conditioned as parents rarely correct their children.
For conditioning to work, children would have to be exposed to a large range of unique learning situations. - impossible

Question 4

What is Chomsky’s perspective?

Answer 4

Language is an innate faculty of the mind
Children are born with some innate knowledge of language

Question 4

What is the innate knowledge?

Answer 4

Universal grammar
- All languages share certain fundamental structural similarities
This UG guides the acquisition of language

Question 4

What is the support for the existence of innate knowledge?

Answer 4

• Explains how language is acquired rapidly.
• Explains how language acquisition occurs in absence of a suitable number of learning situations.
• Explains how language acquisition occurs in absence of training

Question 4

What is evidence to support UG?

Answer 4

Language thought to be localised in specific regions of the brain
Broca’s area: language production
Wernicke’s area: language comprehension

Aphasia: damage to language areas

Question 4

Is there a critical period for language acquisition?

Answer 4

Language acquisition may need to take place before a certain age for it to fully develop.
Language is similar to other innately specified processes like imprinting.

Question 4

What are some problems with evidence supporting UG?

Answer 4

Cerebral localisation of language may not imply innateness.
These parts of the brain don’t just support language- they activate with discordant music

Cortical plasticity - brain can rewire itself and recruit different regions to perform novel tasks: auditory cortex used for the processing of sign language

Question 4

What is an issue with the idea of critical period for language acquisition?

Answer 4

Older children and adults are able to learn a second language to a high level

Question 4

Why has language evolved? Does it give us an evolutionary advantage?

Answer 4

Language has a social function - for social bonding

Question 4

What is the social brain hypothesis?

Answer 4

The primate brain is a social tool.
In primates, the size of the neocortex correlated with social group size.

Question 5

How many people does the human brain support?

Answer 5

group size 150
so how do u maintain unity with larger group sizes
primates maintain unity through social grooming
social grooming is too much for 150 people

so language might be a solution

Question 5

What is language as a social grooming tool?

Answer 5

Language allows you to find out about others efficiently and without need for direct physical contact.
Language allows humans to exchange social information.
Humans spend 70% of their time gossiping.

Question 6

How might social exchange of information help us?

Answer 6

Enable us to work out motives and intentions
Might allow us to manipulate others.