| Term | Definition |
| Language | Spoken, written, and signed words and their combinations to communicate meaning. |
| Phonemes | Smallest distinctive sound unit.
Example: bat which has 3
B-A-T |
| Morphemes | Smallest unit that holds meaning.
Example: undesirable
UN-DESIR-ABLE |
| Grammar | Rules that allow us to communicate and understand each other. |
| Semantics | Derives meaning from morphemes.
Example: '-ed' is past tense |
| Syntax | Rules for word order in sentences.
Example: White house & Casa Blanca |
| Noam Chomsky- Nativist theory | Believes language is almost entirely inborn.
Brain is wired for language and is why learning a second language when young are easier.
Nouns before verbs no matter what language. |
| Language comes in an order.
1st- Syllables
2nd- Sequences
3rd- Patterns | |
| Babble Stage | Around 4 months
Usually as "ba, ga," and "da"
phonemes |
| One-Word Stage | Around 1st birthday
Forming words like "ball, cat, me," and "no"
morphemes |
| Two-Word Stage (telegraphic speech) | By 2nd birthday
Ex: Go car! |
| Critical Periods | There is a critical period for development of language.
Late starter, ages 2-3 will learn language faster than average to catch up.
By about age 7, those who have not been exposed to language lose the ability to master any language. |
| Broca’s area (frontal) | Language expression. |
| Wernicke’s area (temporal) | Language comprehension. |
| Linguistic determinism (Benjamin Whorf) | Language differences impact the way we see the world.
Language shapes our thoughts. |
| Thinking in images | Talk to self (in head)
Imagine an answer
Visualization
Mental practicing
Watching others perform the actions |
