Thought & Language Flashcards
What is the hierarchal nature of language?
Phonemes –> Morphemes –> Words –> Phrase –> Sentence
What are phonemes?
They are single units of sounds that changes meaning. (dog –> log)
Typically 40 in English. Not all languages have the same phonemes.
What are morphemes?
Smallest language units that carry meaning.
Explain the difference between bound and unbound morphemes.
Unbound morphemes can contain function and content words, whilst bound morphemes are function suffixes and affixes.
Bound morphemes serve a functional role, prescribing possession (-‘s in Charlie’s, superlatives (-est in best), comparison (-er in better), plurality (-s in cans)
What is the difference between semantic and syntactic processing?
Semantic processing relies on content words, which map onto concepts, which are units of semantic memory, creating categories.
Syntactic processing relies on function words. (pronouns, conjunctives, prepositions)
What is the main difference witnessed between Wernicke’s and Broca’s aphasic patients?
Those with Wernicke’s aphasia can speak fluently, but fail in comprehension. Those with Broca’s aphasia struggle with function words, and has laboured speech, but is capable of comprehension.
Explain surface vs deep structure.
Surface structure focuses on the word order / organisation of a sentence; the syntax. Meanwhile, deep structure focuses on meaning of the sentence.
What do you call a sentence organised the same way, but have multiple meanings?
Ambiguous meaning, singular surface structure with multiple deep structures.
What kinds of sounds can newborns perceive?
Many basic phoneme contrasts (diff between sounds) across different languages. They prefer organic speech over artificial sounds.
When do children’s perceptions of consonant sounds become categorical?
At 9 months. Detection of phonemic change is modified by experience.
What are the 3 types of sounds children make?
Cooing at 2 months, reduplicated babbling at 6 - 7 months (same syllable), variegated babbling (11 - 12 months, syllables w diff consonants & vowels).
At 10 months, babies’ sounds adapt to languages they hear.
Why can infants only make a limited set of sounds?
Underdeveloped motor cortex + shape of infant vocal tract
What are protowords?
Combination of syllables in replacement of actual words.
Compare the rate of comprehending (receptive vocab) and producing (productive vocab) words.
Comprehension precedes production by an average of 4 months.
Initial acquisition rate of comprehension is twice of production.
Even phoneme production lags behind comprehension.
When do we witness the Vocabulary Burst, and why?
After the first 50 words, there is major increase in productive vocab. There is easier retrieval (developed memory systems), understanding of the symbolic nature of language and control over articulation due to improved motor abilities.
What does it mean when children overextend or underextend the meaning of words?
Under-extension: using the word “dog” to only refer to their dog, not other dogs
Over-extension: using the word “dog” to refer to cats too, “milk” for a puddle or white blankie
As children acquire more words, they over-extend the meaning of words less. True or false?
True. They mostly over-extend due to lack of words readily available, hence resorting to closest substitutions.
What are holophrases?
A singular word representing an entire statement. (saying “water” to warn you about a puddle, or that it’s gonna rain, or they want water)
By 4 years, children’s syntax resembles that of adults’. True or false?
True.
When do children begin to combine words?
At 2 years. They have specific meaning relations they like to convey.
What are the 3 theories of how children acquire language?
Nativism, general learning capacities and social learning.
What is the nativist view of language?
Founded by Noam Chomsky: children acquired language effortlessly and rapidly without teaching.
What is the language bioprogram hypothesis?
It is the idea that creole languages share fundamental similarities with children’s, through pidgin language (natural simplified mingling of languages into one) that develops into creoles (more complex grammar).
Is there a sensitive period for language, and how can this be demonstrated?
Yes. The period ends by puberty once lateralisation occurs, imposing maturational constraints. (harder to learn afterwards)
Demonstrated through:
deaf signers - those exposed to sign earlier had greater accuracy
isolated children - Genie: diff rates of progress for acquiring words vs syntax
