5. Language

Question 1

Phonology

Answer 1

Rules controlling the structure and sequence of speech sounds
Comprehending and producing sound patterns
e.g. sounds b & d

Question 2

Semantics

Answer 2

Rules concerning vocabulary
How meaning is conveyed through word choice
Learn to combine & modify words

Question 3

Grammar

Answer 3

Syntax - rules concerning how words are arranged into sentences

Morphology - combination of sounds
*Morphemes:
Primary: wait
Secondary: waited, in order to make sense

Question 4

Syntax

Answer 4

Rules concerning how words are arranged into sentences

Question 5

Syntax

Answer 5

Rules concerning how words are arranged into sentences

Rules of language that we have to follow

Question 6

Pragmatics

Answer 6

Rules concerning the use of effective and appropriate communication
Appropriate use of language in context & situations

Conversational manners like taking turns

Question 7

Sociolinguistic knowledge

Answer 7

Language rules determined by society and culture

Question 8

Learning/Empiricist Perspective

Answer 8

Language is learned by reinforcement
Learn from caregiver
Children are congratulated when speaking correctly

Motherese: baby talk
*Infant directed speech

Question 9

Learning perspective - errors made by children

Answer 9

*Recasting

Expanding: parents expand child’s vocab
e.g. child says ball, parents say big, blue ball

Question 10

Criticism of Learning/Empiricist Perspective

Answer 10

Not everything can be reinforced - would have to reinforce after every sentence
Grammar rules cannot be learned through imitation
No biology

Question 11

Nativist Perspective

Answer 11

Chomsky
Language has a biological basis and is unique to humans

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
Universal grammar

Question 12

Nativist - LAD

Answer 12

Language Acquisition Device
An innate system allowing children to produce and understand grammatically consistent sentences/phrases

Contains universal grammar

Basis: grammar rules are too complex for children to learn so they must have some innate ability to understand

Question 13

Nativist - Universal Grammar

Answer 13

An innate system within the LAD, containing universal grammar rules shared by all humans

Proposed explanation for how children across the world can learn different grammatical rules and diverse languages
Shows how we pick up language so young & quickly

Question 14

Nativist Evidence

Answer 14

Children are able to create their own language systems

Teaching language to animals - animals cannot learn language, even chimps

Question 15

Broca’s Area

Answer 15

Supports grammatical processing & production of language

Left frontal lobe

Question 16

Wernicke’s Area

Answer 16

Left temporal lobe
Comprehension of word meaning
Receives nerve impulses from primary auditory area
Sensations from the ears are sent here

Question 17

Nativist Criticism

Answer 17

Difficult to test

Question 18

Interactionist Perspective

Answer 18

Emphasis placed on the interactions between environmental influences and biological explanations

Two types of theories:
Information-processing
Social interactionalist

Question 19

Interactionist - Complex Interplay

Answer 19

Complex interplay between cognitive and biological development

Question 20

Interactionist - Evidence

Answer 20

Without learning languages, we can create our own

Question 21

Interactionist disagreement

Answer 21

Do children understand complex language through general cognitive processing or special capacities for language