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Language Acquisition
LanguageAcquisition
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Structure of Language | Phonemes, Morphemes, Grammar, Syntax, Semantics |
Phoneme | Smallest unit of speech that can be discerned auditorially. Ex: "b" and "p" |
Morpheme | Smallest unit of meaning in a language: suffixes and prefixes |
Grammar | Parts of speech |
Syntax | Arranging the words in the correct order to be understood in your language |
Semantics | Meaning of words |
Steps to producing words | Crying, Cooing, Babbling, Word |
Crying | Babies have different cries for different needs and communicate those needs to us |
Cooing | Shows contentment--vowel sounds usually beginning with "ahhhh" and eventually leading to "ohhhhhh" |
Babbling | Consonant and vowel like "dadadada" |
Conversational babbling | Toddlers babble as if in conversation, moving their body parts and using inflection |
Words | We give meaning to a child's babble for their first words. Ex: dada becomes daddy |
Receptive Vocabulary (understanding) | Left Temporal Wernicke's Area--this skill begins before actual speech. |
Productive Vocabulary (producing speech) | Left Frontal Broca's Area--speaking follows comprehension |
Fast Mapping | How quickly can a child use a new word correctly? |
Over-extension (also known as over-regularization) | Child applies the word too generally. All fruits are applies. All men dressed like daddy are dadas. |
Under-extension (also known as under-regularization) | Child applies the word too narrowly. Only I have a dog. You can't have a dog! |
Bilingual Research | Bilingualism means thinking in both languages, not translating from one to the other. |
Does bilingualism cause small vocabularies? | Bilingual children tend to have slightly smaller vocabs, but use more superior words |
Does bilingualism interfere with the child's cognition | No. Bilingual children tend to score slightly higher in selective attention and analytical reasoning |
Johnson & Newport (1989) Study | Mapped immigrants' level of English language to when they mastered English. |
J&N Results | We can acquire a second language--the earlier the better. Between ages of 3-7 easily acquired as well as the native language. From 8-39, a steady decline and then levels off |
J&N Results | Acculturation plays an important role. Socially and psychologically we may acquire the second language faster because we must. |
Washoe and Kanzi | Chimps who were able to learn approx. 160-200 words via reward and correction, but could not generate language creatively. Toddlers outstrip the chimps because of the language acquisition device |
Stephen Pinker | Linguistic Theorist: Language is not only communicative, it is adaptive. Arab Spring example |
Behaviorist: Skinner | Children "learn" language via reward and correction (although parents do not correct toddlers who begin to speak) |
Naturist: Noam Chomsky | Children acquire language via the LAD, Language Acquisition Device. that prompts them to use the correct phonemes, morphemes, grammar, syntax and meaning. |
Chomsky Research | 3 month old infants can distinguish different phonemes of every world language. However, between 8-12 months, they lose that ability if they don't hear the sound daily. "Use it or lose it." |
Interactionists | Children must hear language spoken in their environment to prompt the LAD to begin working. |
Benjamin Whorf | Linguistic Relativity: One's culture determines one's language. Example of the Eskimos having over 20 words for snow. |