Language Flashcards
This section comprises 3–4% of the Psychology GRE subject test. When finished with this deck, you should have a better understanding of the following: Units, Syntax, Meaning, Speech Perception and Processing, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Theories, Applications and Issues.
Define:
phonemes
These are basic speech sounds with no meaning.
ex. sh, ph, ee
Define:
morphemes
These are the smallest carrier of meaning, phonemes combined to create meaning.
Define:
phrase
These are words grouped together to create a single unit of syntax in a sentence.
Define:
syntax
An element of grammar that dictates the rules for phrase/sentence construction.
Define:
grammar
These are rules for using a given language, interrelating morphemes and syntax.
Define:
morphology
These are grammar rules, understanding of how to group morphemes.
Define:
prosody
The perception of tone inflections, accents, and emotional aspects of language that carry meaning.
Who is considered the most important person in psycholinguistics?
Noam Chomsky
What did Chomsky’s transformational grammar differentiate?
The surface structure and the deep structure of language.
Fill in the blank.
You can change the ________ structure of a sentence without altering the _____ structure, or the meaning.
surface; deep
Why would Chomsky say it is easier for children to learn a foreign language than adults?
Because children have an inborn “language acquisition device,” they are able to adapt to and incorporate new grammar rules into their own speech production.
What is occurring when a child says “I hided the toy from Bobby”?
overgeneralization or overregularization
Children often use previously learned grammar rules for all situations, even if they are incorrect. Improper conjugation of verb tenses is a common example of this.
A child who calls every fuzzy, four-legged object a kitty is exhibiting what?
overextension
Children frequently associate words with characteristics of an object without logically understanding the finer distinctions, for example the ones between kitties and doggies.
“Me want cookie” is an example of what type of speech?
telegraphic speech
A way to remember this is that the speech lacks the flourish of a written letter, but is instead barebones and only conveys necessity, like a telegraph.
This type of speech is comprised of one word that conveys the meaning of an entire sentence.
holophrastic speech
The one-word sentences are called holophrases.