Problem 6 - DONE Flashcards
language development
requirements for language
comprehension = understanding what others say production = actually speaking
components of language
combinatorial process
combinatorial process = different pieces combined at different levels to form a hierarchy
- sounds are combined to form words, words are combined to form sentences, sentences are combined to form stories/conversations
- benefit:
- -> generativity = idea that through the use of the finite set of words and morphemes in humans’ vocabulary, we can put together an infinite number of sentences
components of language
difficulty understanding a language
(1) difficulty perceiving phonemes:
- phonemes = elementary units of meaningful sound used to produce languages
(2) difficulty understanding morphemes:
- morphemes = smallest units of meaning in a language, composed of one or more phonemes
(3) difficulty understanding sentences:
- syntax = rules in a language that specify how words from different categories (nouns, verbs, adjectives) can be combined
(4) missing knowledge of cultural rules/contextual variations
components of language
steps in children’s language learning
(1) phonological development = acquisition of knowledge about the sound system of a language
(2) semantic development = learning of the system for expressing meaning in a language, including word learning
(3) syntactic development = learning of the syntax of a language; learning how words and morphemes are combined
(4) pragmatic development = acquisition of knowledge about how language is used; how language is typically used
{(5) metalinguistic knowledge/development = understanding of properties and function of language; understanding of language as language}
what is required for language?
- human brain
- human environment
human brain
- left hemisphere specialisation
- -> primarily represents and controls language
- critical-period hypothesis: time during which language develops readily and after which language acquisition is much more difficult
- -> between 5 and puberty
- -> less is more hypothesis: perceptual + memory limitations –> store smaller chunks of language –> facilitate language learning
human environment
- daily routines: fine-tune through experience
- infant-directed speech (IDS) = distinctive mode of speech that adults adopt when talking to babies
- -> not universal
- -> aids language development
human environment
characteristics of IDS
- emotional tone: suffused with affection
- exaggeration of speech and facial expressions
- use of pitch patterns
- -> draws attention to speech itself
- -> learn/recognise words better when words are presented in IDS
process of language acquisition
- speech perception (1)
- -> categorical perception
- -> word segmentation
- -> become native listener (2)
- speech preparation
- -> early speech production (babbling)
- -> early word recognition (4)
- -> word learning
- form sentences (3)
- -> two-word period
- -> syntax + grammar
- conversational skills (5)
speech perception
categorical perception
- categorical perception = perception of speech sounds belonging to discrete categories
- -> innate, experience-dependent
- -> voice-onset time (VOT)
speech perception
word segmentation
= discovering where words begin/end in fluent speech
–> distributional properties = in any language, certain sounds are more likely to appear together
speech perception
becoming native listener
- become native listener (by 12 months lost ability to perceive speech sounds that are not part of native language)
- -> perceptual narrowing
early speech production
- reflexive vocalisations
- cooing and laughing
- babbling and vocal play
- -> babbling = repetitive consonant-vowel sequence; limited
- canonical babbling –> sound like words
- modulated babbling –> use stress + intonation patterns
syntactic development
- one-word period
- two-word period
- -> word learning
one-word period
= holophrastic period
- productive vocabulary
- simplification strategies –> leave out difficult bits
- overextension = daddy for any man