Language Development in Children Flashcards
(133 cards)
What are the subfields of language?
morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonology
What is morphology?
study of word structure, describes how words are formed out of morphemes
What is a morpheme?
smallest meaningful unit of language
what are base, root, or free morphemes?
have meaning, cannot be broken down further, can have other morphemes added to them
What are bound or grammatical morphemes?
cannot stand alone, must be formed with free morphemes to have meaning
What are examples of bound morphemes?
ing, s, ed, ‘s
what is an allomorph?
variations of morphemes that do not alter the original meaning (ex. z or s ending)
What is syntax?
word order dictation, study of sentence structure
What does the study of syntax involve?
arrangement of words, word order, collection of rules
what is a passive sentence?
the subject recieves the action of the verb
What is an active sentence?
subject performs the actions of the verbs (Mark petted the cat)
What constitutes a compound sentence?
two or more independent clauses joined by a comma, conjunction, or semicolon.
What is a complex sentence?
one that contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
What is semantics?
study of meaning in language including a person’s vocabulary
What does vocabulary development depend on ?
environmental exposure as well as the individual capacity each child brings to the learning situation
What are important aspects of vocabulary development? Knowledge of:
antonyms or opposities, synonyms, multiple meanings of words, humor, figurative lanaguage, deictic words (referents change depending on who is speaking)
What is overextension?
using the word “ball” for round objects
What is a child’s ability to learn a new word on the basis of just a few exposures to it?
quick incidental learning
What is a good component in language development?
categorizing
Why is the use of categories good?
brings order to the child’s experiences, these experiences can be filed under preexisting categories or under mental constructs the child has that allow him to group similar items together.
What is pragmatics?
study of rules that govern the use of language in social situations. One focuses on the use of language in social context, places greater emphasis on functions or uses of language than on structure.
What part of language considers the context of the utterance and the function of the utterance?
pragmatics
What are some functions of language?
labeling, protesting, commenting
What are important functions of utterances?
providing listeners with adequate information, making a sequence of statements logical, taking turns with other speakers, maintaining a topic, repairing communication break downs