Module 9 Flashcards
(23 cards)
Innateness/ Mentalist Hypothesis
The hypothesis that our ability to acquire human language is genetically encoded
Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
an innate mechanism or process that facilitates the learning of language
Universal Grammar (UG)
a set of structural characteristics shared by all languages
Imitation/ Behaviorism theory of Language Acquisition
children imitate what they hear. They hear a stimulus, and respond, and then receive feedback
Active construction of grammar
children invent grammar rules and have an innate ability to do so “working grammar”
Connectionist Theories
exposure to language develops and strengthens neural connections. Higher frequency of exposure leads to stronger connections
Critical Period for language acquisition ages
for children probably before age 6, and for second language after puberty will probably not pass as a native speaker
Critical period hypothesis
there is a critical period during which language can be acquired like a native speaker, there are probably sensitive periods
prelinguistic stage of development
0-6months, crying and cooing, responding to stimuli
Babbling stage of development
6-12 months, pitch and intonation match those around them, babbling sounds not linked to needs
One word stage of development
begins around 1 year, one word sentences (holophrastic), usually CV structure, words as a whole rather than sequence of sounds
two word stage of development
begins around 1.5-2 years, two words with relationship to each other, words occur in fixed order,
beyond two word stage of development
have already learned some aspects of grammar - like word order and position of determiners, resembles adult grammar around age 5,
bilingualism
fluency in or use of two languages
language acquisition
the process by which humans acquire the capacity to perceive and comprehend language, as well as to produce and use words and sentences to communicate
cognitive abilities
capabilities related to the acquisition and application of knowledge in problem solving
linguistic competence
the underlying ability that allows linguistic behavior, concerns child’s grammar, linguistic input and construction of grammatical structures
Linguistic performance
deals with the nature of the child’s rule system: they psychological processes the child uses to learn the language, and how the child establishes meaning in the language input
principles
in universal grammar, theses are the set of rules common to all human languages. Language is structurally dependent, words are grouped into higher level structured relationships, languages are made of sentences that are NP or VP
Parameters
Determine they ways in which a language can vary: specifies the position of a head in relation to other parts of a sentences
Economy of representation
the principle that grammatical structures must exist for a purpose
Economy of derivation
the principle that movements only occur to match interpretable features with un-interpretable features
Child directed speech (motherease)
the way parents often talk to their young children
