1401 Definitions

Question 1

Language Acquisition Device

Answer 1

Chomsky

Also called the mentalist or Nativist view

The child has an inbuilt “LAD” that allows them to ‘work out’ the grammar of the input to creatively produce language

Question 2

Overextension

Answer 2

A child perceives two objects as having similar features so categorises them together

E.g. Dog and Cow = Doggy

Question 3

Interlanguage

Answer 3

Tells us errors occur between languages.

Interlanguage is the dynamic ‘language’ which is modified and corrected by the learner as they obtain L2

Question 4

Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis

Answer 4

CAH predicts that the differences between L1 and L2 will predict the errors the learner will make.

Question 5

Zone of Proximal Development

Answer 5

Vygotsky

the difference between the child’s ability and what they can achieve with the “scaffolded” support of their caregivers.

Question 6

Communicative Competence

Answer 6

the total communication system (foster, 1990)

verbal and nonverbal

although Chomsky first used “competence” to mean “knowledge”