L8: L.D What must be learned to Acquire Language Flashcards
(20 cards)
What are the stages of early language development?
- Early phrases: First words around 12 months; holophrases (one word for full idea).
- Conversations: Emergent ability to participate in dialogue, often one-sided initially.
- Imagination: Language used in play and pretend scenarios.
What is a phoneme?
Smallest unit of sound (e.g., ‘cat’ = /k/, /æ/, /t/).
What are phonotactics?
Rules about sound combinations (e.g., English words don’t start with ‘ng’).
What is semantics?
The meaning of words.
What is a morpheme?
Smallest unit of meaning (e.g., ‘bad’ = 1 morpheme, ‘hairbrush’ = 2 morphemes).
What are inflections?
Elements like ‘-ing’ that add meaning.
What is grammar (syntax)?
Rules for combining words into phrases/sentences; word order matters.
What are pragmatics?
Social rules of language use (e.g., ‘Do you mind not talking during the film?’ is not a literal question but a polite request).
How do children acquire language rules?
Children acquire rules rapidly but often lack explicit knowledge.
What are the key properties of human language?
- Symbolic: Words represent things.
- Structured: Governed by consistent rules.
- Conveys meaning: Communicative.
- Generative: Infinite combinations from finite elements.
- Permits displacement: Talk about past/future, not just immediate context.
Can non-human animals use language?
Nim Chimpsky learned signs like ‘me big cat’ but showed limitations such as signs used mostly for rewards, inconsistent word order, frequent imitations of trainers’ recent signs, and pragmatic failures.
What are lexigrams?
Visual symbols representing words, used to test non-verbal language ability in apes.
What did Kanzi the Borobo show at 6 months?
Spontaneous use of lexigrams.
How many lexigrams did Kanzi know by age 4?
80+ lexigrams and used 2-3 symbol combinations.
What language did Kanzi understand?
Spoken English and followed instructions.
How did Kanzi’s performance compare to Alia’s in using action phrases?
Kanzi (age 8) had 74% correct, while Alia (age 2) had 65% correct.
What does Kanzi’s communication ability indicate?
Basic communicative abilities and symbol use.
In what ways is Kanzi comparable to a toddler?
Comparable in some respects, but no further development after a point.
What evidence is lacking in Kanzi’s communication skills?
No evidence of mastering syntax, semantics, or conversation.
