Linguistics Flashcards
What are the key features of the language system in linguistics?
Language systems consist of hierarchical structures, automatic processing, and incremental understanding. These features help to structure and comprehend language in real-time as it enters the brain, whether through spoken or written form. Hierarchical structures are especially important in distinguishing between syntax and semantics, as seen in sentences that can be grammatically correct but semantically nonsensical (e.g., “Colorless green ideas sleep furiously”)
What are the levels of representation in linguistics?
The levels of representation in linguistics include:
Phonology (sounds and how they are produced),
Morphology (word formation),
Syntax (sentence structure),
Semantics (meaning),
Pragmatics (context and language use).
Each of these levels contributes to the overall understanding of language. Linguists often focus on one level, but all are interconnected. For example, understanding a sentence requires parsing its phonological components, structuring them into a syntactic framework, and interpreting their semantics
What are garden-path sentences and why are they significant?
Garden-path sentences are grammatically correct sentences that initially seem ungrammatical, leading the reader down a false syntactic interpretation. They highlight the brain’s automatic and incremental parsing of syntax, where early words mislead before the true structure becomes clear
What is a spectrogram used for in linguistics?
A spectrogram visualizes sound by plotting time against frequency and showing the intensity of frequencies in speech. It’s used to analyze speech patterns, such as identifying phonemes based on frequency energy, and provides insight into speech perception
How does prediction-based learning function in language processing?
In prediction-based learning, the brain incrementally processes linguistic input, predicting syntactic and semantic structures as it receives words. This predictive nature allows faster comprehension by hypothesizing possible sentence structures early in the input stream
What is Universal Grammar?
Universal Grammar is the theory proposed by Noam Chomsky, suggesting that all human languages share a common structural basis. The brain is thought to have an innate, universal set of grammatical rules that underlie all human languages
What is the Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis?
The Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, posits that the structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview and cognition. In essence, the way people think is influenced by the language they use
What role does automaticity play in language processing?
Automaticity refers to the brain’s automatic activation of neural representations when exposed to language, even when you are not actively paying attention. For example, when you hear familiar sounds, words, or sentence structures, your brain automatically starts to process them, building syntax and semantics simultaneously without conscious effort
How does incremental processing of language work?
Incremental processing means the brain doesn’t wait until the entire sentence is heard before beginning to process it. As soon as the first word is received, the brain starts building both syntactic (sentence structure) and semantic (meaning) representations. This explains why early word choices can mislead the listener in garden-path sentences
What are phonemes, and why are they important in linguistics?
Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a language that distinguish meaning. For example, the difference between the words “bat” and “pat” lies in their initial phonemes /b/ and /p/. Phonemes are categorized based on features like voicing, place of articulation, and manner of articulation, which are key in understanding speech perception and production
What is the role of syntax in sentence comprehension?
Syntax refers to the rules that govern the structure of sentences, including word order and phrase hierarchy. Proper syntactic structure ensures that sentences make sense and can be understood. For example, “The cat sat on the mat” follows the subject-verb-object structure typical of English. Without syntax, meaning would be lost or confused
How do morphemes differ from phonemes?
Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language, while phonemes are the smallest units of sound. For example, the word “cats” has two morphemes: “cat” (the base meaning) and “-s” (the plural marker). Phonemes, like /k/ in “cat,” do not carry meaning on their own but can distinguish between words
What is categorical perception in speech?
Categorical perception is the phenomenon where the brain categorizes speech sounds into distinct phonemic categories, such as distinguishing between /b/ and /p/. Even though the physical difference between these sounds may be minimal, the brain perceives them as completely different categories, aiding in faster language comprehension
What is the interaction between syntax and semantics in sentence comprehension?
Syntax (sentence structure) and semantics (meaning) work together in sentence comprehension, but they can also create ambiguities. For example, in garden-path sentences like “The horse raced past the barn fell,” the brain initially misinterprets the structure because the expected syntactic and semantic patterns don’t align until the entire sentence is processed
What is the concept of incremental syntactic parsing?
Incremental syntactic parsing is the process where the brain begins constructing the syntactic structure of a sentence as each word is received, rather than waiting for the full sentence. This process can lead to temporary ambiguities or errors, as seen in garden-path sentences, but it allows for rapid language comprehension