Week 8 Flashcards
(48 cards)
Language
Communication of information through symbols arranged according to rules
* Central to communication, also closely tied to the way we think and understand the world!
* Language acquisition follows similar patterns cross culturally
How does language develop ?
In the absence of formal instruction
Phonemes: the ingredients
Categories of sound our vocal apparatus produces
Most words made of 2+
Can be spelled differently (e.g., bait, weight, plate)
In English, 26 letters, 40 - 45 phonemes
Phonemes
Cross-linguistic differences
Hawaiian language has few phonemes
Japanese has a single sound category that encompasses both L & R sounds
Morphemes: the menu items
Smallest unit of meaning in a language
Most morphemes are words
Some aren’t words but modify the meaning of other words (e.g., re)
Syntax: putting together the meal
Set of rules of a language by which we construct a sentence
“Pizza ate I for dinner” – doesn’t follow English syntax (but does for other languages)
Critical period in language acquisition
Proficiency at acquiring language is maximal early in life.
Being deprived of language during this period impedes full acquisition and use.
Genie case study
Cases like “Genie” support the critical period theory, but are complicated by other factors.
“Less is more” theory
The younger you are, the better you will learn a new language.
Babbling (3 months – 1 year)
Initial babbling includes all sounds.
Specialization in own language by 6-8 months.
Phoneme recognition
Born with the ability to recognize all phonemes.
Brain eventually prunes away unnecessary sounds.
age 2
Vocabulary Expansion
By age 2, children have around 50 vocabulary words.
6 months later, several hundred words.
Words & Phrases Development (Age 1-2)
Start combining words to create simple two-word phrases.
Examples: “More juice,” “Mommy help!,” “All gone!”
Telegraphic Speech
Example: “I show book”
Simple, concise sentence structure typical in early language development.
Language Development (Age 3)
Make plurals and use past tense.
Overgeneralize: e.g., “he runned,” “the fishes.”
Language Rules Acquisition (Age 5)
Acquire all basic language rules.
Learning-Theory Approaches to Language Acquisition
Follows principles of reinforcement & conditioning.
Children are praised for using language.
The more parents speak to children, the more proficient they become.
Does not fully explain language rules (children reinforced for using grammar incorrectly).
Nativist Theory of Language Acquisition
Children born with basic knowledge of language.
“Language organ” – Language Acquisition Device (LAD) – pre-programmed.
Gene related to development of language abilities.
Difficult to falsify.
Interactionist Theory of Language Acquisition
Pre-programmed with hardware, develop software through exposure & environment.
Adults act as directors for language acquisition (not pure imitation).
Example: “Look at that dog over there! No, this is a puppy not a bunny!”
Environment produces differences in language (e.g., shoes that you would wear for a run are called…?).
Guugu Yimithirr Language
Traditional language of the Guugu Yimithirr people of Far North Queensland (indigenous).
No words for left or right.
Communicate using cardinal directions (north, east, south, west).
Example: “Pick up that item with your west-facing hand.”
Linguistic Relativity (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)
The language we speak influences how we think, understand, and perceive the world.
Egocentric vs. Geocentric
Egocentric: Using self as reference point (e.g., left, right).
Geocentric: Using cardinal directions (e.g., north, south).
Time Perception & Metaphors
Different languages use different metaphors for time, which affects how speakers perceive time.
Flashcard 4
Language & Blame
How language structures blame affects perception and understanding of responsibility.
