M1 Language Concepts and Acquisition

Question 1

Transformational Grammar Theory

Answer 1

Children are able to learn the superficial grammar of a language because all languages share deep universal grammar.

Question 2

The cognitive approach

Answer 2

emphasizes extemporaneous conversation, immersion, and other techniques intended to simulate the natural language environment in which children learn their native languages.

Question 3

Morphology

Answer 3

The study of the internal structure of words. The basic part of a word is the root. A prefix may be added to the beginning of a word or a suffix to the end. Smallest units are morphemes.

Question 4

Syntax

Answer 4

The rules used to put words together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences. Syntax includes two parts: (1) syntactic classes such as noun, verb, and adjective; (2) syntactic function such as subject and verb. Addresses (1) word order (2) agreement and (3) subjective/objective forms. Conventional syntax refers to how language is typically used.

Question 5

Lexicon

Answer 5

List of words and phrases, including form and meanings, categorization, appropriate usage, and interrelationships among them.

Question 6

semantics

Answer 6

study of the meanings of linguistic expressions.

Question 7

discourse

Answer 7

a continuous stretch of speech or text, going beyond a sentence.

Question 8

Pragmatics

Answer 8

Study of meanings outside the expressions; that is meaning not covered by semantics.

Question 9

language registers

Answer 9

Language as used in a particular situation or context. There are five recognized registers. The use of the appropriate register depends on the audience, the topic, and the purpose of the communication.

Question 10

Frozen Register

Answer 10

Language that remains fixed or unchanged, e.g. Pledge of Allegiance, The Lord’s Prayer, Preamble to the Constitution.

Question 11

Formal/Academic Register

Answer 11

Used in academic or professional settings.

Question 12

Consultative Register

Answer 12

Asking for assistance talking to superior.

Question 13

Casual (informal) register

Answer 13

talking with friends, slang, first draft of a paper may be casual.

Question 14

intimate register

Answer 14

lovers, inappropriately used in sexual harassment.

Question 15

Universal rule of registers

Answer 15

It is considered antisocial behavior to move from one register to another skipping more than one level at a time.

Question 16

four main aspects of language for ESL teachers

Answer 16

phonology, semantics, pragmatics, and syntax.

Question 17

Morphemes

Answer 17

Smallest units in morphology. two types: (1) Free morphemes: a morpheme that can stand alone as a meaningful word; (2): Bound Morphemes: a morpheme that cannot stand alone.

Question 18

affixes

Answer 18

morphemes that are added to root words and stems. prefix, suffix, or infix (inserted into the root/stem)

Question 19

Semantic mapping

Answer 19

an excellent strategy for activating and developing prior knowledge. It can be used before reading and then expanded after reading to integrate students’ new knowledge into their prior knowledge. It can look like a table including noun(s) and their various properties.

Question 20

lexical ambiguity

Answer 20

some words may have more than one meaning:
Pen: an instrument for writing or
Pen: a place where pigs live.

Question 21

Discourse analysis

Answer 21

This is a look at both language form and language function. It identifies linguistic features that characterize different genres as well as social and cultural factors that aid in interpretation and understanding of different texts and types of talk.

Question 22

Cognates

Answer 22

Words that share a common origin

Question 23

True Cognate

Answer 23

The word is spelled the same, meaning the same, but pronunciation will be different according to language structure of the words such as an accent mark. Example.. English-rodeo, Spanish- rodeo

Question 24

Partial Cognate

Answer 24

The word in other languages has the same origin but the spelling will differ. The meaning will be the same but the pronunciation due to the language structure will be different. Example…English-fragrance, Spanish- frangancia

Question 25

False Cognate

Answer 25

The word in another language may have the same origin but will have different spelling and different meaning. Pronunciation will be different. Example..English-exit, Spanish- exito (means ‘false friend’ not exit)

Question 26

grapheme

Answer 26

smallest written units representing sounds (letters). Symbols that represent phonemes.

Question 27

phonemes

Answer 27

the distinct sounds of a language.

Question 28

Phonemic awareness

Answer 28

a more specific language-sound consciousness inside the larger skill of phonological awareness. Phoneme awareness includes the ability to perceive the smaller sound segments of spoken words and to be aware of the difference between these phonemes, which can be manipulated and substituted to form different words. Note: required to appreciate sound-letter associations.

Question 29

phonological awareness

Answer 29

The ability to recognize that words are made up of a variety of sound units. As a child develops phonological awareness, he/she not only comes to understand that words are made up of small sound “chunks” known as syllables and each syllable begin with a sound (onset) and ends with another sound (rime).

Question 30

phonological analysis

Answer 30

When skilled readers encounter multisyllabic, unfamiliar words, they divide or “chunk” the word into manageable units. These units may be word families or phonograms, such as -ade,-ick,-ill, inflectional endings, such as -es, -s, -ing, -ed, or prefixes and suffixes, such as fore-, dis-, mis-, -ity, and -ency. After readers divide multisyllabic words into chunks, they can compare each chunk to familiar words that share the same units. This comparison can help them figure out the correct pronunciation for each chunk.

Question 31

measuring phonological awareness

Answer 31

When measuring a child’s phonological awareness look at his/her ability to apply several different skills. A child with strong phonological awareness should be able to recognize and use rhyme, break words into syllables, blend phonemes into syllables and words, identify the beginning and ending sounds in a syllable and see smaller words within larger words (ie. “cat” in “catalog”).