Chapter 9

Question 2

What is language?

Answer 2

A structured system of communication that uses symbols (words, signs, and sounds)

Enables humans to express thoughts, emotions, and ideas and to interact with others

Question 3

What are the five basic aspects of language?

Answer 3

• Phonology (sounds)
• Morphology (word formation)
• Syntax (sentence structure)
• Semantics (meaning)
• Pragmatics (social use of language)

Each aspect plays a crucial role in language development and understanding

Question 4

Define phonology

Answer 4

The study of speech sounds in a language

Includes phonemes, the smallest unit of sounds

Question 5

What is a phoneme?

Answer 5

The smallest unit of sound in a language, e.g., /b/ in ‘bat’

Phonemes are crucial for distinguishing meaning in speech

Question 6

Define morphology

Answer 6

The structure and formation of words

Includes morphemes, the smallest unit of meaning

Question 7

What is a morpheme?

Answer 7

The smallest unit of meaning in a language, e.g., ‘-s’ in ‘cats’

Morphemes can be whole words or parts of words

Question 8

Define syntax

Answer 8

Rules that govern word order in sentences

Syntax determines grammatical structure

Question 9

What is semantics?

Answer 9

The meaning of words and sentences

Example: ‘the chicken is ready to eat’

Question 10

Define pragmatics

Answer 10

How language is used in different contexts

Example: ‘see the choo-choo’

Question 11

Which side of the brain is primarily involved in language for most people?

Answer 11

The left side of the brain

Language is largely localized here

Question 12

What is Broca’s area responsible for?

Answer 12

Speech production

Located in the frontal lobe; if damaged, individuals understand language but struggle to form sentences

Question 13

What happens if Broca’s area is damaged?

Answer 13

Individuals understand language but struggle to form sentences

E.g., saying ‘walk dog’ instead of ‘I am walking the dog’

Question 14

What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?

Answer 14

Language comprehension

Located in the temporal lobe; if damaged, individuals can produce words but have difficulty making sense

Question 15

What is behaviorism in the context of language development?

Answer 15

Language develops through reinforcement, imitation, and conditioning

Children learn by copying caregivers and receiving rewards for correct language use

Question 16

What does nativism propose about language acquisition?

Answer 16

Humans are born with an innate ability to acquire language

Associated with theorist Noam Chomsky

Question 17

What is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD)?

Answer 17

A hypothetical brain mechanism that allows children to learn language naturally

Proposed by Noam Chomsky

Question 18

Define universal grammar

Answer 18

All languages share a basic structural foundation that the brain is predisposed to recognize

Suggests a commonality in language structure across cultures

Question 19

What is interactionism in language development?

Answer 19

Language develops through both biological abilities and social experiences

Combines innate abilities and environmental influences

Question 20

What does Statistical Learning Theory suggest about language acquisition?

Answer 20

Children learn language by detecting patterns in speech

They identify word boundaries and common sounds through repeated exposure

Question 21

What is transitional probability in language learning?

Answer 21

The likelihood that one sound or syllable follows another in speech

Helps infants identify where words begin and end in continuous speech

Question 22

What is preverbal communication?

Answer 22

The earliest form of communication used to signal needs

Includes crying, cooing, and babbling

Question 23

What is the purpose of cooing in infants?

Answer 23

To produce soft, vowel-like sounds during social interactions

Typically occurs around 2-3 months of age

Question 24

What is babbling in infants?

Answer 24

Repetitive consonant-vowel sounds that become more complex over time

Universal across languages, including sign language for deaf babies

Question 25

What is joint focus of attention?

Answer 25

When a child and adult focus on the same object or event ## Footnote Strengthens word learning by connecting words to objects

Question 26

What is child-directed speech?

Answer 26

Higher pitch and exaggerated intonation to engage infants ## Footnote Includes slower speech, clear pronunciation, and repetitive sentences

Question 27

Why do toddlers build their vocabulary quickly?

Answer 27

They begin to understand that words are symbols for objects ## Footnote Typically learn nouns before verbs

Question 28

What is the whole object bias?

Answer 28

New words refer to entire objects, not parts ## Footnote Example: If an adult points to a rabbit and says 'rabbit', the child assumes it refers to the whole animal

Question 29

Define mutual exclusivity constraint in language learning.

Answer 29

Each object has only one label ## Footnote E.g., if they know 'cat' and hear 'panda', they assume 'panda' refers to another animal

Question 30

What is taxonomic constraint?

Answer 30

Words apply to categories, not just specific instances ## Footnote E.g., learning 'dog' applies to all dogs, not just their pet

Question 31

Define syntactic bootstrapping.

Answer 31

Children use sentence structure to infer the meaning of new words ## Footnote Example: 'the cat is jumping' suggests 'cat' is a noun

Question 32

What is semantic bootstrapping?

Answer 32

Children use word meaning to learn grammatical rules ## Footnote Helps categorize words and build sentence structures

Question 33

What is telegraphic speech?

Answer 33

Combining words into simple phrases with basic information ## Footnote Example: 'Want cookie' instead of 'I want a cookie'

Question 34

What is egocentric speech according to Piaget?

Answer 34

Self-focused, non-social speech due to immature thinking ## Footnote Fades as social awareness develops

Question 35

What is private speech according to Vygotsky?

Answer 35

A thinking tool that helps with self-regulation and problem-solving ## Footnote Essential for learning, it becomes private speech over time

Question 36

What are discourse skills?

Answer 36

The ability to engage in structured conversations and tell stories ## Footnote Example: A child recounting a weekend story in order

Question 37

Define metalinguistic abilities.

Answer 37

The ability to reflect on, analyze, and understand language beyond basic communication ## Footnote Example: Understanding idioms

Question 38

What is a common feature of adolescent language?

Answer 38

Use of slang or swear words, especially among peers ## Footnote Example: Adolescent slang 'W in the chat'

Question 39

What percentage of U.S. children are bilingual?

Answer 39

1 in 5 U.S. children ## Footnote 66% worldwide are bilingual

Question 40

What cognitive benefits do bilingual children have?

Answer 40

* Improved problem-solving * Attention control * Flexibility * May delay cognitive decline later in life ## Footnote Bilingualism offers advantages beyond language skills

Question 41

What is the effect of age on second language learning?

Answer 41

Easier acquisition before age 5–6; declines with age ## Footnote Pronunciation and grammar become harder with age but remain learnable

Question 42

What are language disorders?

Answer 42

Difficulties in understanding or producing speech ## Footnote Affects sound production, timing, and social cues

Question 43

What challenges do children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face?

Answer 43

Struggles with pragmatics and social communication ## Footnote Affects their ability to engage in typical conversations

Question 44

What is echolalia?

Answer 44

Repeating words or phrases heard from others ## Footnote Common in some developmental disorders

Question 45

What is dyslexia?

Answer 45

Reading disorder affecting word recognition, decoding, and spelling ## Footnote Can impact overall literacy development